Green Energy Policy In China

The document evaluates China's pledges to reduce carbon intensity and increase non-fossil fuel energy use by 2020, arguing these goals are achievable but require policies beyond 'business as usual'. It highlights the importance of a new biannual emissions reporting system and advocates for sustained U.S.-China bilateral cooperation in clean energy research and technology deployment.

• At the Copenhagen climate conference, China made three primary domestic pledges to be achieved by 2020: reducing carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40% to 45% compared to 2005 levels, increasing the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to approximately 15%, and increasing forest coverage by 40 million hectares and forest stock volume by 1.3 billion cubic meters from 2005 levels.
• China's target to improve carbon intensity by 40% to 45% is considered significant and achievable, but it will require more sweeping policies than previous energy-efficiency efforts. This includes the need for new systems to track carbon dioxide emissions specifically, rather than just energy production, and new efficiency requirements for the transportation and building sectors.
• China has agreed to a new international system for reporting national emissions every two years. While some skeptics question the reliability of Chinese data, the document asserts that national-level energy data has improved because China effectively tracks large energy users and the developed Eastern provinces, and Beijing can cross-check aggregated data from independent sources.
• Since the Copenhagen meeting, China has taken steps to implement its pledges, including amending its renewable energy law to increase fines for utilities that fail to purchase green energy or connect it to the grid. The government is also integrating the carbon intensity target into its next Five-Year Plan.
• The United States and China have a long history of collaboration on energy and climate, including the development of home appliance efficiency standards and the 2009 announcement of a U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center. The document argues that the U.S. can provide technical expertise in monitoring and market-based incentives, while China serves as a laboratory for driving down costs of technologies like carbon capture and sequestration.
• China's motivations for engaging in global climate diplomacy are driven by national interests, including ensuring energy security, reducing domestic pollution, and establishing leadership in the green energy business sector, as well as concerns over the risks climate change poses to its coastal populations and fresh water supplies.

APA

Bradley, R. (n.d.). Green Energy Policy In China. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/publications/testimony-us-china-economic-security-review-commission

Chicago

Bradley, Rob. Green Energy Policy In China. World Resources Institute, n.d. https://www.wri.org/publications/testimony-us-china-economic-security-review-commission.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bradley |first1=Rob |title=Green Energy Policy In China |publisher=World Resources Institute |url=https://www.wri.org/publications/testimony-us-china-economic-security-review-commission |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bradleyndgreen, author = {Bradley, Rob}, title = {{Green Energy Policy In China}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/publications/testimony-us-china-economic-security-review-commission}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }