China's green tech pioneers lead global transformation

Editor's note: Erik Solheim, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is the President of the Green Belt and Road Institute, former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program, and former Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

China's annual Two Sessions, a highly anticipated event on the country's political calendar, began on Monday with the opening of the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Promoting ecological civilization and green and low-carbon development is one of the highlights among the top agendas. The nation is set to unleash a wave of initiatives that could reshape China's and the world's green economic landscape.

A few months back I visited the wonderful headquarters of China's battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd. (CATL) in the small city of Ningde in Fujian Province. Few companies embody China's leadership in green technologies more than CATL. From a modest start, the enterprise has grown to become the largest electric battery company in the world.

CATL's newest batteries could last longer than your car and run 1,000 km on one charge. Global value chains now are integrated. CATL is the main supplier to Tesla. As the battery is half the value of an electric vehicle, it is hard to say whether a Tesla is an American car with a Chinese battery or a Chinese battery with an American carrosserie. No company or nation can walk the road alone.

China's plans extend to the formation of a consortium, the China All-Solid-State Battery Collaborative Innovation Platform. This is a collective effort by battery and car manufacturers, including industry giants CATL and BYD and some of the country's prestigious academic institutions, to commercialize solid-state batteries.

This move sets a bold vision to revolutionize the electric vehicle market by building a solid-state battery supply chain by 2030. Leveraging artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies, China is positioning itself at the forefront of next-generation battery research and development.

China has seen historic changes in ecological conservation, becoming the world's leader in green technologies.

Ten years ago, if people asked me where shall I go to get the best green technology and ideas, I would always answer, please go to Brussels, to Paris and Berlin. If they ask me the same question today, I would say please go to Beijing. Or if you cannot go to Beijing, maybe you should go to Shenzhen, Hangzhou, or to Ningde.

"We only have one Earth. Protecting the ecological environment and pushing sustainable development are our joint obligations," President Xi once said. China has invested $890 billion in clean energy last year! That is as much as the world combined invested in fossil fuels or the sum close to the GDP of Turkey or Switzerland. Including the value of production, clean-energy sectors contributed 11.4 trillion yuan ($1.6 trillion) to the Chinese economy in 2023, up 30 percent year-on-year.

Chinese provinces are also aligning their strategies with the nation's green ambitions. In their annual government work report, many provinces outlined blueprints to bolster support for tech-intensive industries, emphasizing innovation, high quality, and advanced productivity. The production of new energy vehicles emerged as a major industrial goal for several provinces, with plans to upgrade industry chains, including key components such as motors, batteries, electronic controls, and vehicle-grade chips.

China's leadership in green technologies is mind-boggling. But with leadership also comes responsibilities. Allow me to mention a few areas where China may get it right domestically and then help the green revolution globally.

Green technology must be people-centered. Even the most amazing technologies come with downsides. Solar energy demands a lot of land; wind energy creates noise; hydropower may change river ecosystems. When we deploy the new wonderful technologies, consultation with communities is essential. We also need to make sure that communities affected by the green change ripe benefits, in jobs, revenues and more. The transition should be fair, helping the old farmers and industrial workers in remote areas not only the young, urban and trendy.

We also need to think long-term. It was truly inspiring to see that China recently launched a scheme for recycling of wind blades, laying the foundation for tackling supply chain sustainability challenges arising from renewable energy generation. Let's now start preparing for a circular economy.

As China charts a path towards sustainable economic development, the outcomes of the Two Sessions are poised to set the stage for a green technological surge that not only addresses environmental concerns but also fortifies the nation's economy. With 5.2 percent growth last year, China contributed a lot more to global growth than any other nation.

The collaborative efforts in solid-state batteries, the surge in clean-energy investments and the development of autonomous cars symbolize China's commitment to leading the world in sustainable development and innovation. My hope for Two Sessions is that the meetings will help steer the global green transformation and help create a global economy benefiting everyone.

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