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Summer Special: Re-imagine China and its Decarbonisation
Collective insights on the present and the future of China's decarb journey
This summer, I asked a dozen well-known #ChinaClimateWatchers to take part in a thought experiment with me. We look for out-of-the-box thinking that transcends short-term news cycles and our usual research, campaigning, and reporting routines.
The exercise allows us to identify overlooked issues that are currently incompatible with existing climate initiatives, funding strategies, or academic research and generate futurist predictions for the next decade.
In the three-part series, you will read the insights from:
This list of contributors is still being updated on a rolling basis as many postpone their responses due to the summer holidays.
The series will also include anonymous contributions from civil society activists, journalists, and philanthropists who have been closely involved in China's climate actions prior to the country's "Shuang Tan" pledge in 2020.
You may expect thought-provoking questions about China’s decarbonisation, such as:
Is China’s carbon peaking a result of deep structural reforms or a spin-off of the recession?
Will China continue ministry-level reform and set up a Climate Ministry?
Will China introduce the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) principle in its domestic climate legislation and planning to ensure an equitable transition across regions and provinces?
Is “climate anxiety” a contributing factor to China's birth rate slumps? If not, will it be one day?
You may also read futuristic predictions on short- and mid-term trends, events, and phenomena, such as:
Recurring seasonal power rationing in mega-cities
An intensified pushback from the coal industry against clean energy
A plateauing of clean energy investment in China
China’s voluntary emission trading market opens up a new venue for greenwashing
As I kick off the series, I want to invite you to join our collective efforts to re-imagine China’s journey towards carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, as well as our individual endeavours in shaping the future.
Hurry up! Submissions before August 21 may win you a place in the Summer Special series.