Xi pushes for China to adopt green energy

Xi pushes for China to adopt green energy
FILE PHOTO: China’s President Xi Jinping waves following his speech after a ceremony to inaugurate the city’s new leader and government in Hong Kong, China, July 1, 2022, on the 25th anniversary of the city’s handover from Britain to China. Selim Chtayti/Pool via REUTERS

China’s President Xi Jinping has a history of supporting climate initiatives and engaging with the science behind climate change. By his estimations, Xi has announced that China will reach peak carbon emissions by 2030. At a US-led summit last year, he also explained that developed countries should up their dedication to solving climate issues and also help less-developed countries shift to low-carbon growth. Already, China is the key supplier of equipment for alternative energy production.

On Tuesday, Xi made a speech on energy reform at a meeting he chaired. In his remarks, he called on China to conserve resources and develop a recycling economy, which involves sharing, reusing, repairing, renovating and recycling things for a long time to avoid waste. And now, Xi plans on sticking to energy reforms, especially as China continues to deal with the ongoing global energy crisis. So what better way to deal with oil shortages than to move away from it altogether?

Key comments:

“There’s a need to strengthen the overall concept of preservation and push for a green and low carbon lifestyle,” Xi said.

“The energy crisis started in China last year, Pakistan’s recent flooding due to climate change and the high global energy prices are all signs of risks. Energy depletion is happening all the time and there’s a need to implement a greener lifestyle,” explained Zhao Xijun, associate dean at Renmin University’s School of Finance.

“China decided years ago that the clean energy transition is a strategic advantage for them,” said Jake Schmidt, senior strategic director of international climate with the Natural Resources Defense Council.