Taking charge: Can China step up to become a climate leader?

From coal power to green power, China’s clean energy vision could put the world on the right climate path

Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

As climate change impacts worsen, the world seems more divided than ever in tackling the climate crisis. 

US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw, for a second time, from the United Nations’ Paris climate agreement is just the latest setback for global climate diplomacy. Trade disputes and tariffs on China’s green tech goods have also damaged global cooperation and so have bitter arguments over climate finance. 

Is there a nation that can fill the climate leadership gap? Can China step up? 

It has already been steadily increasing its leadership, says Mr Li Shuo, director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington.

He tells Green Pulse that China’s dominance of the green energy sector, in the manufacture of solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles and battery storage, has made these goods cheaper and helped the adoption of emissions-cutting technologies, including in South-east Asia. 

And China has become a leading provider of climate finance and top investor in renewable energy at home and globally. But big questions remain for China, the world’s top CO2 emitter and coal consumer. To be a leader, big political decisions lie ahead of China on how fast it can reduce its dependence on polluting coal, Mr Li Shuo says.   

Listen in to our conversation with Mr Li Shuo to learn more about China’s potential as a global climate leader.

Highlights of conversation (click/tap above):

1:10 With climate change impacts worsening, the world needs stronger leadership. Is China that leader?

5:15 China is a green energy superpower. But it is also the top CO2 emitter and coal consumer. Isn’t that a contradiction?

8:26 We’ve seen bitter trade disputes over China’s green tech goods. But isn’t access to more affordable green energy good for global climate action?

11:50 What about China’s climate investments in SE Asia? What are your views?

14:00 Are we seeing the decline in Western powers in the climate space and the rise of alternative voices?

19:07 Is there a risk of a climate backlash in China as we’ve seen in other countries?

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Hosts: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg) & David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

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