China’s Green Tech: Redefining the Global Climate Future

From funding a $950 million wind power project in Laos to expanding renewable energy initiatives globally, China has become a leader in green technology while simultaneously remaining the world’s largest CO₂ emitter. China's dominance in renewable energy reveals a complex dichotomy between contradictory outcomes—a greener future or one where a drastic rise in global temperatures will be unavoidable.  

China dominates the renewable energy market, producing more than half of the world's electric vehicles and 58 percent of its wind turbines. China funds these efforts through approximately 26 percent of its national government’s research and development budget. As of 2024, the International Energy Agency reported that China’s “clean technology exports are on track to exceed $340 billion in 2035, which is roughly equivalent to the projected oil export revenue this year of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates combined.” In 2025, China shows no sign of slowing down its rapid production, marking a drastic shift from its prior exports of clothing, furniture, and home appliances to the  "new three"—solar, lithium-ion batteries, and electric vehicles.

China’s Economic and Geopolitical Power

Although China’s decisions are largely economic, its focus on green technology also stems from strong geopolitical motives. China not only strives to dominate world trade and create innovative technology, but also to spread its influence globally. Due to China’s overproduction of renewable energy technologies, the cost of these products has decreased significantly, making it a more attractive option for investors in contrast to traditional energy sources.

As a result, Chinese companies have built renewable energy in developing markets such as Pakistan, Chile, and Laos. Through establishing a strong presence in foreign countries, China is creating greater economic and technological dependency. China’s influence beyond its borders signifies its role as a key player in transforming the future of the climate and igniting the rise of renewable technology sectors across the world. However, the increase of China’s global trade, overproduction, and its vast manufacturing industry have resulted in China topping worldwide charts as the greatest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions.

Renewable Energy and Climate Policies

Despite China’s negative impact on the climate, China has been involved in the United Nations  Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other international climate agreements, most notably the Paris Agreement in 2015. The Paris Agreement is an international treaty involving nearly 200 countries committed to limiting global warming to well below 2°C. As part of the agreement, China set several goals, including lowering carbon dioxide intensity, increasing the share of non-fossil fuels in its energy mix, and aiming to peak carbon emissions before 2030.

However, despite these pledges, China has reportedly remained the greatest contributor of greenhouse emissions: It 2022, “China was the largest emitter of methane, accounting for 15.6 percent of the global total. In the same year, China contributed 31 percent of the world’s CO₂ emissions, compared to the US at 12 percent and the European Union at 7 percent.”

Despite these setbacks, China is still actively shaping its climate policies through its “Five-Year Plans”. These development plans are created every five years with the 14th Five Year Plan (2021-2025) to invest 6 trillion yuan into climate-focused and digital infrastructure initiatives. Further strengthening this trajectory, China’s National People’s Congress also approved its first-ever energy law in 2024 to be brought into effect on January 1st, 2025.

Consisting of nine sections and 80 articles, it includes a broad range of environmental and technological policies spanning the uses of energy in innovation, reserves, and planning. The new law is largely centered on the importance of renewable energy production and consumption. By backing both large-scale and local renewable energy systems, it created a legal basis for power trading, microgrids, and new business models. It also requires minimum renewable energy use, making not only grid companies but also suppliers, sellers, consumers, and private plants responsible for meeting these targets.

Additionally, by supporting new technologies, Article 34 introduces Green Electricity Certificates (GECs) to encourage people and companies to use more renewable energy, helping China move toward a low-carbon future.

Looking Ahead: Climate Summit 2025

As of September 24th, 2025, President Xi Jinping and other world leaders took part in the 2025 United Nations Climate Summit to announce their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to climate initiatives. During this conference, China presented a landmark pledge to reduce greenhouse gases, stating that it would “cut net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 7 to 10 percent by 2035.” In a video presentation, Xi Jinping expressed that clean energy transitions are crucial and that “developed countries should take the lead in fulfilling emission reduction obligations” so that “the benefits of green development can reach all corners of the world.”

However, despite China’s new NDC to be accomplished by 2035, critics argue that this is “unrealistic”, and stating that “under promising and overdelivering is what we expect from China.” Although significant efforts must be made to reduce CO₂ drastically by 2035 and achieve neutrality by 2060, China posed a stark difference in climate policy to its global competitor, the United States. The US’s focus on boosting the oil and gas industry and reducing funding for climate initiatives signifies that China and the US are moving in opposite directions. As China pushes forward with its renewable energy revolution, it is also reshaping the balance of global power.  Whether China will fulfill its ambitions will not only transform the future of green technology but also the future of our climate.

Image by Chris Lim via WikimediaCommons