S2E11: 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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drops:


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