China back to COP26 carbon emissions pledge – Growth thanks to that?

Guest essay by Eric Worrall

h / t Breitbart; Senior CCP officials have pointed out that China’s 2030 CO2 commitments are goals to strive for, not goals they guarantee to be achieved. They also emphasize that more developed countries should shoulder most of the burden of reducing global emissions.

Cautious on carbon as ‘China realizes the important role of coal’ in the energy mix

The targets offer no guarantees and will not affect development, analysts said.

Echo Xie
Published: 9:15 a.m., December 13, 2021

Senior serving and former Chinese officials have called for caution on the way forward carbon neutral, echoing leadership’s assessment that climate goals “cannot be achieved in a single battle”.

Speaking before a forum in Beijing on Saturday, Former Finance Minister Lou Jiwei say While China says it will “strive” to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2060, there is a difference between this and “ensure [those targets would be achieved]“.

“We are a developing country. We should bear common but different responsibilities different from developed countries,” Lou told a meeting organized by the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.

Han Wenxiu, from the Central Economic and Financial Commission, was similarly cautious, saying that the two goals are complex and long-term tasks that require full consideration of the energy and industrial structure of the country. country.

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According to the statement, fossil fuels should be phased out “based on” safe and reliable alternative energy sources. China should also use clean and efficient coal, given the fuel’s dominant role in the country’s electricity production and consumption, it said.

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“This is the first time [Chinese officials] announced the transition from controlling for energy consumption and intensity to carbon consumption and intensity, so it makes a lot of sense,” said Ma.

“The challenge is that we don’t have a cap on carbon emissions yet. The time has come to set limits, which will send a clear signal to local governments, companies and society to better guide their transformation and investments.”

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Read more: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3159418/caution-carbon-china-realises-key-role-coal-energy-mix

One month ago John Kerry announces technology transfer agreement from US to China, in which Kerry agreed to give China free American technology and access to American academies, to help China reduce its CO2 emissions.

China is currently showing that it is happy to accept the technology, but perhaps awareness is growing in China, even among renewable energy advocates, of the importance of the decarbonization mission in the world. Chinese economy.

And there are renewable energy advocates in the CCP. Earlier this year, the Chinese leader Xi Jinping causes energy chaos by imposing an impossible coal quota on China, in the months leading up to COP26.

At the time, I thought China was just playing the game, trying to look good for the big climate conference. But what if Mr. Xi really believes his renewable/decarbonized energy quota is achievable?

China’s biggest cultural weakness is No one can tell the boss that he made a mistake. A Chinese company once flew me halfway around the world, to find a way to discuss an issue with my boss without being embarrassed by anyone. Even in China, the message finally gets through, as issues become inescapable.