Environment

While the US and EU impose tariffs in response to China’s so-called green overcapacity, some developing economies see opportunities to benefit, writes Xie Ruohan for China Dialogue “Overcapacity” is a word that has dominated the global political agenda this year. In an April visit to China, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen raised – both privately and publicly – the Chinese economy’s “imbalances and overcapacity”. Yellen expressed worries that this overcapacity could harm US industries. …

To mark the 70th anniversary of the China-Britain Business Council, FOCUS speaks to companies that have experienced outstanding success in the Chinese market over the last seven decades In this instalment, FOCUS talks to Mark Su, President of Greater China for Johnson Matthey, a leading British multinational company in the field of sustainable technologies What has been Johnson Matthey’s history in China? Johnson Matthey (JM) has been active in China since …

China is making good progress towards its current goals, but experts say it needs to do more to align with the 1.5°C global warming threshold, writes Lin Zi for China Dialogue Work on a new national climate action plan is in full swing, with the focus being on targets for 2035, China’s climate envoy Liu Zhenmin told Dialogue Earth at a World Economic Forum meeting in Dalian this June. Signatories …

Research by Energy Foundation China has found that young people need to be shown how climate issues connect to their lives, Huang Wei writes for Dialogue Earth A new report supported by Energy Foundation China, the NGO I work for, contains some fascinating findings on the climate attitudes of China’s 15 to 24 year olds, or Gen Z, as they’re more often known. It also offers helpful advice on how …

Feng Yingxin and Soraya Kishtwari, writing for Dialogue Earth, explore this example of how urban areas can successfully integrate significant ecological habitats, reversing ecological decline in vulnerable delta regions Each spring, as Shenzhen’s mangroves burst into life, the region becomes a prime spot for birdwatchers observing the endangered black-faced spoonbill. Known as the giant panda of birds, this species winters in Shenzhen Bay from October to April, in preparation for …

Do Chinese consumers have the same sustainability concerns as their Western counterparts? What drives their purchasing decisions when it comes to sustainability? It’s clear that sustainable brands will increasingly have the edge in 2024 and beyond, so how should you communicate with Chinese consumers about the credentials of your products? Like people in countries all over the world, Chinese consumers are experiencing the effects of climate change and unmanaged waste …

From sodium-ion to all-solid-state batteries, companies worldwide are betting on emerging technologies to win the electric vehicle race, writes You Xiaoying for Dialogue Earth At the Beijing Auto Show in April, CATL, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) battery maker, stunned many with a new product. The Shenxing Plus battery can power an EV for more than 1,000 kilometres on a single charge, according to CATL. That’s enough to get …

Five experts share their takes with Dialogue Earth (formerly China Dialogue) as the US hikes its tariff on Chinese EVs, solar panels and more On 14 May, the US government announced huge increases in tariff rates on a range of Chinese exports, most of which are forms of “green” or low-carbon technologies. The measures, which will come into effect on 1 August, include a 100% tariff on the value of …

To celebrate 70 years of the China-Britain Business Council, FOCUS is speaking to companies that have experienced outstanding success in the Chinese market over the last seven decades In the first instalment of this new series, FOCUS talks to leading energy technology company Baker Hughes about its commitment to revolutionising energy in China, the UK and beyond. How and when did Baker Hughes enter the China market and what major …

Despite slowing GDP growth, China’s coal consumption is on the up, writes Dialogue Earth (formerly China Dialogue)’s Xia Zhijian. But could growth in coal production and use over the past two years actually bring about an earlier carbon peak? Following the emergence of Covid-19 and its impacts, China put a strong emphasis on coal power and energy-intensive heavy industry to secure energy security and GDP growth. This has put it a long …