After blackouts, China’s green goals take back seat to energy security

(Climate Home News, 24 Mar 2022) China is prioritising energy security over climate action in five-year targets to boost both fossil fuels and renewables unveiled on Tuesday, experts told Climate Home News.

In its energy plan for 2021-2025, China aims to increase production of oil, gas, coal, nuclear, wind and solar energy to prevent electricity blackouts and cut dependence on foreign energy suppliers.

While tackling climate change remains a goal of the Chinese government, the volatility in energy prices triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed self-reliance up the agenda.

Greenpeace East Asia campaigner Li Shuo called China’s strategy an “all of the above” approach. “The short term priority is to ensure energy supply and boost growth,” he said.

“In the West, coal and renewable energy have an offsetting relationship. In China, they go hand in hand. And that’s of course not good from a climate point of view.”

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Climate Home News, 24 Mar 2022: After blackouts, China’s green goals take back seat to energy security