Editorial | As the US sits out Cop30, China and others must pick up the slack
Technology and investment partnerships, especially among developing nations, could reinvigorate efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change
But some have found hope in a recent push to form a “coalition of the willing”. Such technology and investment partnerships, primarily among developing nations, could reinvigorate efforts that have long depended on handouts from developed countries.
This coalition would benefit from China’s expanding role in powering green economy transformations. Chinese commitments to foreign clean energy manufacturing and infrastructure projects since 2022 have exceeded US$200 billion, according to one estimate. Adjusted for inflation, that is more than US Marshall Plan spending to rebuild Europe after World War II.
China’s global role in green tech expansion is likely to continue. There is intense domestic competition among makers of electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines and batteries. Companies will find eager markets in developing nations. Many are linked to Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has helped build a China-centred trading network.