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illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece here in The Guardian or enjoy below
🗞️ Driving the news: China's renewable energy capacity is skyrocketing with 228 gigawatts of solar and 310 gigawatts of wind power
• However, the country's coal consumption is also expanding, raising concerns about the effectiveness of its clean energy initiatives
🔭 The context: China's clean technology surge is primarily driven by its economic strategy, with state support, integrated supply chains, and massive scale of production playing a crucial role
• The economic conditions that have driven China's rapid growth in clean technology, such as solar and electric vehicles, are expected to continue
🌍 Why does it matter for the planet: China, as the world's biggest clean technology provider, holds the potential to significantly reduce its share (⅓) of total global carbon emissions
• The continued expansion in coal power presents a contradictory stance that could undermine climate goals globally
⏭️ What’s next: China needs to undertake reforms in its power sector and make tough decisions to curb its coal consumption
• The international community should engage in climate diplomacy to influence China's trajectory towards more sustainable energy choices
💬 One quote: "Beijing is simultaneously becoming the biggest solution provider and the biggest troublemaker." (Li Shuo, Senior Policy Adviser for Greenpeace East Asia)
📈 One stat: In Q1-23, China approved at least 20.45GW of new coal projects
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