China Rising: Global Opportunity or Global Threat?
The recent tightly scripted 19th Chinese Communist Party National Congress has generally been viewed as evidence and celebration of the rise to great power of Chinese President Xi Jinping. President Xi is in ascendance. But what does that really mean for China and the rest of us.
It’s far more useful for us to focus on facts on the ground, on China’s actions than on attempts to parse the meaning of the makeup of the 7 member Standing Committee (SC) at the pinnacle of Party and Chinese government power whose decisions are driven by completely private discussions behind closed doors.
The facts. China has rapidly emerged in the 21st century as global leader in renewable resource development. China’s leadership and success in helping build a global efficient renewable resource system is absolutely crucial if we are to escape climate change driven global ecological catastrophe. Our collective futures are suddenly, to a considerable extent, in President Xi’s hands given the Trump administration’s opposition to effective action on climate change and support for accelerated coal, oil,and natural gas development.
China is manufacturing and installing solar electric and wind energy systems at an astounding rate. China is responsible for 40% of global renewable energy growth according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Last year, global solar electric (PV) capacity grew by 50%, over 74 gigawatts, with China responsible for almost half of this. By 2022 the IEA forecasts global PV capacity will expand to 920 gigawatts. China, with India soon to follow, is leading the way.
Global investment in renewables now exceeds that in fossil fuel plants. China is also global market leader in electric vehicles, hydropower and biomass systems. China is, as well, global leader in reforestation.
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