China Leading World In Fight Against Climate Change: Study
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China is fast becoming a global leader on climate change thanks to “ambitious strides to add renewable energy to its mix,” claimed a report by an independent climate watchdog on Monday, highlighting the nation’s recent investments in clean energy, which was unmatched by any other country over the past two years.
According to the Australian-based Climate Commission (CC), China invested close to $65.1 billion in clean energy last year, 20 percent more than in 2011 and representing 30 percent of the total investment made by the entire G-20.
China is fast becoming a global leader on climate change thanks to “ambitious strides to add renewable energy to its mix,” claimed a report by an independent climate watchdog on Monday, highlighting the nation’s recent investments in clean energy, which was unmatched by any other country over the past two years.
According to the Australian-based Climate Commission (CC), China invested close to $65.1 billion in clean energy last year, 20 percent more than in 2011 and representing 30 percent of the total investment made by the entire G-20.
Subsequently solar power capacity in China also grew by 75 percent last year while the amount of electricity generated from wind in 2012 was 36 percent higher than in 2011.
The United States, on the other hand, pumped in $35.6 billion into renewable energy, coming in second behind to Beijing.
”China has halved its growth in electricity demand, dramatically increased its renewable energy capacity, and decelerated its emissions growth more quickly than expected,” said the CC’s chief commissioner, Professor Tim Flannery, to AFP.
“After years of strong growth in coal use, this has begun to level off. They are beginning to put in place seven emissions trading schemes that will cover quarter of a billion people,” he added.
[quote]”Whatever the reason, the results speak for themselves. China is quickly moving to the top of the leader board on climate change,” he said.[/quote]Related: China To Spend $372 Billion On Green Projects
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Earlier this month, China, also reached an agreement with the U.S. to tackle global warming, wanting “to position themselves as the world’s renewable energy leaders.” Although the world’s two largest economies are still the world’s biggest carbon emitters as well, accounting for some 37 percent of world emissions, Flannery believed that their recent efforts has inspired other countries to place further emphasis on renewable energy and curbing environmental damage.
“Globally emissions are continuing to rise strongly, posing serious risks for our society,” said the report. “This decade must set the foundations to reduce emissions rapidly to nearly zero by 2050. The earlier such action is under way the less disruptive and costly it will be.”
[quote]”With so much global momentum this is clearly the beginning of the clean energy era,” Flannery added.[/quote]Related: Emerging Economies Lead The World in Green Investments
Related: France & Germany – Building A Path To A Low-Carbon Future: Jeffrey Sachs
98 countries have now committed to limit their greenhouse gas emissions, while there are now 35 national emissions trading schemes in place around the world. Flannery warned however this is still ” not enough”, ahead of a fresh round of UN talks to start in Bonn this week on boosting action on climate change.
