China is also the worlds largest producer of renewable energy. Producing twice as much as the next highest nation... the US.
China's energy plans for the next decade are fluid. Currently, yes... they are building a shitload of new coal plants. On the positive side, China recently (last year?) made the commitment to stop funding construction of coal plants in other countries. China's banks are already making good on that commitment.
What they haven't said is will they stop their construction of coal plants in other countries (funded by others). And will they slow construction in their own country. I suspect they will.
China is currently the worlds largest importer of coal. That makes them energy dependent.... makes them susceptible to the geopolitics of the nations they import from... and they don't want that. Means that things like human rights can affect their energy source.
China is the leader in renewable energy. I'd expect them to stay that way for the foreseeable future.... maybe even gain ground. Not for any sense of a "climate conscience"... or it being the right thing to do, but more because of not wanting to be energy dependent.
China's energy plans for the next decade are fluid. Currently, yes... they are building a shitload of new coal plants. On the positive side, China recently (last year?) made the commitment to stop funding construction of coal plants in other countries. China's banks are already making good on that commitment.
What they haven't said is will they stop their construction of coal plants in other countries (funded by others). And will they slow construction in their own country. I suspect they will.
China is currently the worlds largest importer of coal. That makes them energy dependent.... makes them susceptible to the geopolitics of the nations they import from... and they don't want that. Means that things like human rights can affect their energy source.
China is the leader in renewable energy. I'd expect them to stay that way for the foreseeable future.... maybe even gain ground. Not for any sense of a "climate conscience"... or it being the right thing to do, but more because of not wanting to be energy dependent.