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Judi Lynn

(160,218 posts)
Sat Sep 16, 2017, 05:28 PM Sep 2017

Why Chinas green ambitions will make it the next world leader

13 September 2017

As the US under Donald Trump turns its back on climate change, China's globalisation agenda could catalyse a green revolution that will make it a superpower



By Alice Klein

RENEWABLE energy is having its moment in the Chinese sun. The country’s investment in solar, wind and other clean energy technology has soared from $8 billion in 2005 to $103 billion in 2015. China now spends more on developing renewable energy than the US and Europe combined.

Most of this investment has been domestic, but China is now looking to sell its green tech to the rest of the world. In doing so, the nation steps into the climate leadership void left by the US under President Donald Trump. As Trump pursues an “America First” strategy and sings the praises of “beautiful, clean coal”, China is looking for ways to collaborate with other countries on tackling climate change.

“Multilateral trade negotiations make progress only with great difficulty and the implementation of the Paris [climate] agreement has met with resistance,” China’s president Xi Jinping said last week at a meeting of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) nations. “Some countries have become more inward-looking, and their desire to participate in global development cooperation has decreased.”

To strengthen relations with other nations, China has begun one of the largest-ever trade initiatives, known as the Belt and Road. This links it to 68 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa along the historic Silk Road trade routes.

More:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23531430-200-why-chinas-green-ambitions-will-make-it-the-next-world-leader/?cmpid=SOC%7CNSNS%7C2017-Echobox

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