According to a new analysis, China still has a long way to go in realizing its environmental and climate goals. It is true that China has already met or is about to meet all of the “green goals” it had set itself 2005 in its latest five-year plan . Nevertheless, the People’s Republic only has a “mixed track record” in terms of sustainability, according to an analysis by scientists at the China Merics Institute in Berlin published on Thursday.

Too many dirty energy sources The People’s Republic is the country with the world’s largest greenhouse gas emissions. Although China is adding more renewable energy capacities every year than any other nation, the country as a whole is still too dependent on “dirty” energy sources, wrote Merics experts Anna Holzmann and Nis Grünberg.

In the first half of the year alone 2020 in China almost 20 Gigawatts (GW) coal power capacity added and more 48 GW at coal-fired power plants has been approved. This is more than all coal power in Germany combined. The authors also stated that a system for trading emissions rights that had actually been planned for last year has been postponed. In addition, Beijing has not yet set any strict limits on Chinese investments in carbon-intensive projects abroad.

Great claim to change Despite such problems According to the Merics analysis, China is determined to take a global leadership role in green technologies and sustainable solutions. China’s ambitions should therefore be “taken seriously”.

In addition to an investment plan at the national level, around 80 Provinces and cities have drawn up their own plans for setting up environmentally friendly production. The aim is to create a nationwide manufacturing system that meets more environmentally friendly standards and leads to cleaner production. Both the upgrading of traditional industries such as the steel industry and the creation of new green industries, such as the construction of electric cars, are key projects.

Transformation is making progress There are already more than 2060 so-called “green factories” across the country. Even if the quality of green products is often still lacking, according to Merics analysis, the transformation is making progress.

“China’s leadership sees climate change and the destruction of the environment as real and urgent threats for the long term Survival of the regime and economic prosperity recognized, “the scientists said. Also the upcoming one 14. Five-year plan (2021 – 2025) will likely to drive green innovations.

Mitigation plans and concrete action In September China announced that it would create climate neutrality “before 2060” – that is, it would not emit more greenhouse gases than nature or technical solutions can bind. In addition, China plans to reduce its CO2 emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 2030 by more than 65 percent compared to 2005 reduce. The share of non-fossil energies in total energy consumption should increase to around 25 percent. In addition, it should be reforested and wind and solar power expanded.

Greta Thunberg reminded at the turn of the year that the Paris climate agreement must be complied with urgently and not only plans that are far away should be made. “We have to stop focusing on these vague, distant and highly hypothetical goals and instead come to terms with the fact that we have to change now,” said the 18 – year olds.

Environmental pollution and health hazards Despite noticeable improvements in recent years, the air quality in many large Chinese cities is again and again far from the recommended limit values ​​of the World Health Organization. Many bodies of water and soils are also still heavily polluted.

(kbe)