China, which spent £6bn on green energy projects last year, may soon become the world’s largest investor in renewable energy.
The ministry of public security has listed pollution as one of the top five threats to China’s peace and stability. In 2005, China experienced 51,000 riots or demonstrations of 100 or more people protesting against pollution – according to official estimates.
Li Junfeng, an energy expert at the National Development and Reform Commission said in September: “It is widely believed that wind power will be able to compete with coal generation as early as 2015”. Coal currently provides 70% of China’s power generation.
Greenpeace China issued a report in April 2007 outlining a strategy for producing half China’s energy from renewable sources by 2050. Coupled with energy efficiency and other measures, the Energy [R]Evolution plan would cap total CO2 emissions at 2003 levels – 3.3bn tonnes – and reduce per capita emissions slightly.
Per capita CO2 emissions in tonnes: India (1.2); Brazil (1.9); China (5.1); France (6.6); UK (9.2); Japan (9.7); Germany (10.4); Russia (11.8); Canada (17.2); Australia (17.5); USA (19.4). (Source: FT. Does not take into account emissions involved in producing imported goods.)