China announces major renewable energy projects to combat climate change

China announced on Wednesday that it will develop a series of major climate projects in order to combat the effects of global warming. The country wants to reach a carbon neutrality by 2060 and a carbon dioxide peak before 2030.

In an official report released on Wednesday, the National Development and Reform Commission (the country's economic planner) said that the world's biggest producer of greenhouse gases, which are responsible for climate change, will develop new offshore windfarms and accelerate construction of "new energie bases" throughout its vast desert regions.

The report stated that "China will work actively and prudently towards achieving carbon neutrality and reaching a peak in carbon emissions."

The report of the state planning agency included a controversial hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. This facility has caused concern in India over its possible impact on water flows downstream.

The company also announced that it would create a direct route for power transmission connecting Tibet to Hong Kong, Macao, and Guangdong (in the southeast).

The NDRC report states that coal will still be a major fuel. It also says the country plans to continue increasing coal production and supplies this year, even though it is planning to trial low-carbon technologies at its coal-fired plants, and promote initiatives aimed to replace fossil fuels with alternative fuels.

China has struggled to find a balance that allows it to achieve both its economic goals and environmental goals.

The NDRC stated that the reduction of 3.4% in carbon emissions per unit economic growth last fiscal year "fell below expectations". It blamed rapid growth in energy use as well as extreme weather.

China is

Not expected to reach its five-year target

It has yet to announce an annual target for the year 2025.

Analysts said that it will struggle to achieve a separate goal to reduce the amount of energy used per unit of growth from last year's 3.8% to 13.5% this year.

Yao Zhe is a global policy advisor at Greenpeace Beijing. "Despite China's record-breaking expansion of renewable energy, the country has not become more efficient with its energy use in recent years," he said. Reporting by Amy Lv in Beijing, Lewis Jackson in Singapore and Colleen howe in Beijing. Editing and Tom Hogue by Christian Schmollinger and Tom Hogue.

(source: Reuters)