Janka Oertel

When Chinese President Xi Jinping announced Beijing’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2060 in September 2020 at the United Nations General Assembly, this came as a surprise to many, not least within China – among his own government, provincial leaders, business elites and intellectuals. While nominally committed to limiting the rise of global temperatures and the global fight against climate change, China had thus far not been regarded as a frontrunner of the agenda, but more as a reluctant follower, willing to use the climate card as leverage to further its own economic or political interests in multilateral negotiations. The project analyzes the Communist leadership’s approach to the economic dimensions of the green transition and the resulting implications for China’s green tech and renewable energy strategy and industry, particularly in those sectors where Europe still has an actual or at least perceived leadership. It outlines the ramifications for Europe and provides policy recommendations on how to best manage and mitigate the impact of China’s new role as a competitor, not a partner on the green transition.