Category: Climate Change
China Tries To Rebut Reports That It Killed G20 Renewable Energy Commitment
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs pushed back this week against reports that China helped to block a G20 measure to triple renewable energy capacity. The Ministry called the reports “completely inconsistent with the facts.” While the statement then goes on to list many ...
G7 Climate Diplomacy — Sweet Words, but Just Debt and Delays for the Global South
The last few weeks have made two things clear. First, the heat waves hitting the Global North have hammered home (yet again) that climate change is getting faster and more dangerous by the day. Second, despite calls from U.S. climate czar John Kerry to separate climate issues from ...
Why the G7’s Energy Offer to the Global South Could Backfire
2023 is on track to be the hottest year in recorded human history. The summer’s record heat waves, fires, and floods come as attempts by U.S. and Chinese lawmakers to restart talks about climate cooperation seem to be foundering on geopolitics. The ...
Could China-Indonesia Climate Cooperation Resurrect the Pan-Asianism Dream?
"If Liong-Barongsai from China works together with Nandi Cows from India, with Sphinxes from Egypt, with Peacocks from Burma, with White Elephants from Siam, with Hydra Snakes from Vietnam, with Tigers from the Philippines and with Bulls from Indonesia, then surely the international imperialism and colonialism will ...
African and Chinese Scientists Collaborating to Stop Desertification in Vulnerable Countries
The 3rd Taklimakan Summit in Xinjiang last month saw experts from Ethiopia and Nigeria joining specialists and representatives from 14 countries for a series of training and field visit experiences on combating desertification deep in China’s largest arid zone. ...
Southeast Asia Inches Closer to China to Survive Harsh Heat Waves
Extreme high temperatures — a ‘once-in-200-years heat wave’ — have been hitting many Asian countries in recent weeks, including those in Southeast Asia. Experts said that it is only the beginning of an era that will see more frequent heat waves and other erratic weather.
Saying the Quiet Part Out Loud on Africa’s Green Transition
This has been a week of revealing contrasts, so revealing that a screenwriter might find them a bit on the nose. Most prominent was the global attention focused on the underwater fate of a small group of rich people and the general ...
Searching for Climate Solutions In a Haze of Geopolitics
In the afternoons when I would reach for the air conditioner’s remote control, unable to go on without turning on the cooling machine, I grieve a little. I know it didn’t used to be this hot. I remember playing outside as a child at this hour. The ...
Backgrounder: China’s Global South Climate Diplomacy
China passed a notable milestone recently: for the first time, more than half of its installed electricity capacity came from renewable sources. This puts China far ahead of other global powers, despite the fact that China remains one of the world's largest markets for hydrocarbons. Beijing is increasingly using ...
What Happened in New York is a Reminder Climate Change Isn’t Just a Global South Problem
By Lukas Fiala Looking out the window of my hotel room in New York City this week, I couldn’t help but feel a certain apocalyptic reckoning. Due to raging wildfires in Canada, the city that’s home to the world’s most ...
Whatever Happened to China’s South-South Climate Cooperation Fund? The Answer is “Unclear”
During a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping committed to providing 20 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) to help developing countries tackle climate change. Notably, this commitment didn’t contain a timeline. Now, with the promise to ...
Southeast Asia’s Climate Goals Are Ultimately Economic Goals: U.S. Vows to Help, But China Delivers
Two weeks ago, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and his ministers received a visit from the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (U.S.-ABC). Green industries — particularly electric vehicles — were at the top of Indonesia’s talking points. “How can Indonesia get facilities to ...