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China's Clean Technologies and Climate Commitments
Jan 23, 2025
Lauri Myllyvirta, co-founder and lead analyst at CREA and senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute's China Climate Hub, delves into China's ambitious climate goals. He discusses the projected peak of carbon emissions and the rapid rise of clean energy sources like solar and wind. Lauri highlights the challenges of integrating renewables into the power grid while confronting coal industry interests. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on energy consumption and contrasts India's air pollution crisis with China's strategies.
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Quick takeaways
- China's ambitious goal to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 hinges on accelerating clean energy capacity amidst rising electricity demand.
- The recent shift in China's energy policy highlights a tension between economic growth and long-term climate commitments, potentially undermining its carbon neutrality goals.
Deep dives
China's Carbon Goals and Clean Energy Progress
China aims to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, driven largely by a significant increase in clean energy sources such as solar and wind. Despite an exceptional growth in electricity demand, which continued at a rate of 7% recently, the deployment of renewable energy has rapidly advanced, with expectations that it might eventually cover the growth in electricity consumption. However, the trajectory of CO2 emissions is uncertain as they may have slightly increased due to the persistent high demand and the slow structural decline in emissions. For China to meet its goals, a slowdown in demand growth or an accelerated addition of clean energy capacity is essential, yet the future outlook remains ambiguous.
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