Me Old China?

Li Shuo (Senior Policy Advisor for Greenpeace) clarifies a conundrum. Simultaneously, China is the planet's most enthusiastic adopter of rewables and its worst polluter (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jul/06/china-clean-energy-revolution-coal-power). Shuo points to the Global Energy Monitor revelation that China's solar capacity is currently 228 gigawatts (GW). This is more than the rest of the world combined. China also leads the world in its wind capacity having 310 GW of capacity. The country also has another 750 GW of planned wind and solar projects. China appears on track to reach its target of 1200 GW of 'green' energy production, 5 years early. The country is also using 'cut throat' competition to massively increase its electric vehicle production. A green exemplar? China has over the last 10 years, however, consumed 50% of coal production. It has also approved more than 20 GW of new coal power stations. The world's worst polluter? Shuo maintains the reason for this apparent 'mismatch' is that China is intent on an economic rather than a clean technology strategy. The 'name of the game', is 'economic dominance', by any means possible. Shuo suggests that the rest of the world might well be advised to follow China's example, in terms of speeding the adoption of green technologies. To prevent the worst ravages of climate change, however, the world will have to persuade China (and others) to cut their use of coal (and other non-renewables).