China: Adopting pathways to carbon neutrality

China is leading the way in increasing the use of renewable energy and developing new energy vehicles to reduce carbon emissions, adds Angelica Buan in this article.

Becoming net-zero by switching to low-carbon energy

Without a doubt, China is the world's factory, an industrial powerhouse that is a major pillar of global economic growth. However, the negative consequences of its brisk economic activity can be traced back to the volume of carbon emissions, specifically those emitted by the energy sector, which accounts for 90% of China's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

According to the World Bank's Country Climate and Development Report for China, China emits 27% of global carbon dioxide and one-third of global GHG. With the global push to reduce carbon emissions, China's success in reducing carbon emissions will help the world meet its 1.5°C global warming limit target.

As it works toward its economic goals, the country has made it a priority to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, and green energy policies are being developed as a result.

But an expansive shift in resources and innovation is needed to make this transition.

The fact that China pioneers clean energy innovation is not surprising. China's public spending on low-carbon energy R&D has increased by 70% since 2015, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) report, An Energy Sector Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality in China. Furthermore, Nearly 10% of the renewable energy and electric vehicle patents are filed in China.

Over the years, China has made significant investments in the energy transition. According to the Energy Foundation China’s, China 2050 High Renewable Energy Penetration Scenario and Roadmap Study, the nation has committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 2030. This is made possible by the development of its renewable energy sector.

Not moving away from coal

Coal, like oil and gas are non-renewable fossil fuels and by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75% of GHG emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions, according to the United Nations (UN).

Despite its efforts to promote renewable energy, China, the world’s largest consumer, producer and importer of coal continues to invest in coal plants.

China's new coal-fired power capacity in 2022 reached 26,765 MW, up from 26,217 MW in 2021 but less than half of the 40,860 MW in 2019.

According to the 2023 briefing from Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, 50 GW of coal power capacity began construction in China in 2022, an increase of more than 50% from 2021.

New coal power projects totalling 106 GW, or two sizable coal power plants every week, were approved; 60 GW of the projects permitted in 2022 were not under construction in January 2023, but are expected to begin soon.

In total, 86 GW of new coal power projects were launched, more than doubling the 40 GW planned for 2021. The most capacity was added in Guangdong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Hubei.

Coal production and imports both increased dramatically. Between January and February, 730 million tonnes of raw coal were produced, representing a 5.8% increase year-on-year, with an average daily output of 12.44 million tonnes.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, coal imports totalled 60.64 million tonnes, a 70.8% increase year-on-year.

The immense and ongoing use of coal, however, does not imply that the country is abandoning its commitments to reduce carbon emissions.

China has the fourth largest coal reserves in the world and produces roughly 90% of the coal it consumes. With the country's rising energy demand, it relies on coal, which is cheap and abundant, to power its industries and meet its electricity needs.

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(PRA)

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