Oxford Energy Podcast – Does 2020 mark a critical juncture in China’s low-carbon energy transition?

Many have argued that the COVID-19 pandemic provides the opportunity for countries to design economic recovery plans that are distinctly green. In other words, 2020 could prove to be a critical juncture in the low-carbon energy transition. China was one of the first countries to launch an economic recovery strategy but even though it has some green features, the plan was not distinctly green. Rather, it placed significant emphasis on infrastructure and highlighted the need to enhance domestic energy security through the production of more fossil fuels. At that stage China’s low-carbon transition looked to be following a BAU path. Then, in September, President Xi pledged that China would achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. In this podcast, David Ledesma and Philip Andrews-Speed discuss the elements of change and continuity in China’s macroeconomic and energy policies, and question whether 2020 does indeed mark a critical juncture in China’s low-carbon energy transition.

By: OIES

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