sustainability
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Green Artificial Intelligence: China Navigating the AI Environmental Paradox
Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of technological innovation, promising to revolutionise industries and enhance efficiencies across various sectors. But as AI’s capabilities expand, so does its environmental footprint. By 2030, AI data centers are projected to consume up to 3% of global electricity, a significant increase from current levels. Energy Consumption Challenge The Continue reading
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China calls for strengthening Biosphere Reserve system
As Trump pulls USA out of UNESCO China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on September 22, 2025 called for joint efforts to strengthen the construction of UNESCO biosphere reserves, to promote the harmonious co-existence of humanity and nature, and to achieve synergistic progress between the economy and the environment. Ding said that China has achieved remarkable Continue reading
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China’s Development of Solid-State Hydrogen Storage Technology and Ascendency in Rare Earth Metals
China is investing in developing solid-state hydrogen storage as one of the key technological pathways to overcome the bottleneck for hydrogen energy storage and transportation. Over the past several decades, China has emerged as the world’s dominant force in the Rare Earth Elements (REE) sector. These metals have become one of the most crucial and Continue reading
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China’s vast arid regions – combining solar energy generation and ecological restoration
In the arid northwestern region of China, a solar farm is transforming the landscape and improving the local environment. The interaction between solar technology and the environment here illustrates how renewable energy developments can have multifaceted impacts. Spanning hundreds of square kilometers, this vast array of photovoltaic panels not only harnesses the sun’s rays to Continue reading
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China’s green ammonia ships – potential to replace 91% of maritime fossil fuels
China has taken a significant step towards maritime decarbonization with the completion of the world’s first green ammonia ship bunkering operation. This groundbreaking achievement was executed at Dalian Port using renewable ammonia produced by Envision Energy’s plant in Chifeng. The operation marks a considerable milestone in the maritime industry, demonstrating the feasibility of using green ammonia Continue reading
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China has built world’s largest energy transmission network
Sets example to world China now powers its eastern megacities with 80% of their power from renewable sources through its West-to-East Power Transmission Project. Last year, 2.4 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity were transmitted from western China to the east – that’s enough to power five Germanys. More than 80% of that electricity came from clean, Continue reading
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Major Australian iron ore giant pulls out of US: abandons dollar for Chinese yuan to fund clean enegy
China and Australia are increasingly focusing on green steel production, utilizing hydrogen as a cleaner alternative to traditional coal-based methods, which are highly carbon-intensive.China is the world’s largest steel producer, generating over 1 billion metric tons annually. Australia is the largest supplier of iron ore to China, providing over 65% of the Asian giant’s imports, Continue reading
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China: materials recovered from end-of-life EV batteries & solar cells powering “circular economy”
Costly components such as lithium along with other materials such as cobalt and nickel, hold their value beyond the life of the batteries powering China’s massive electric-vehicle (EV) industry. “There is huge potential in the business of new-energy waste, because new energy is where China and the world are going,” said the sales manager at Continue reading
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China’s Launches Giant 20-Megawatt, Typhoon-Resistant Floating Wind Turbine – World’s Largest
In a groundbreaking move towards sustainable energy, China has launched the world’s largest floating wind turbine, the “Qihang,” which promises to significantly reduce carbon emissions and set new standards in renewable energy technology. The “Qihang” turbine exemplifies a remarkable leap in renewable energy technology. Independently developed by Chinese sate-owned CRRC Corporation Limited, this 20 MW floating Continue reading
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Xi Jinping: China injects certainty into global climate governance
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech via video link at the UN sponsored Leaders Meeting on Climate and the Just Transition on Wednesday. Xi highlighted that China is a steadfast actor and major contributor in promoting global green development, noting that China is willing to work with all parties to earnestly honor the principle of common Continue reading
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China sets new record for clean electricity, dominates wind power
China’s power system notched up several new clean energy generation records during the January to March quarter of 2025, cementing the country’s position as the global leader in clean electricity production. Total clean electricity generation in China during the first quarter of the year was just over 951 terawatt hours (TWh), according to data from Continue reading
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China Achieves Solar-powered Water Splitting for Hydrogen Production
Chinese researchers recently achieved a breakthrough in “photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production.” The scientists did this by performing “structural reshaping” and “element substitution” on a semiconductor material, they significantly enhanced the efficiency of converting water into clean hydrogen energy by using sunlight. Current solar-driven hydrogen production primarily relies on two methods — one uses Continue reading
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Developing countries’ demand doubles for Chinese solar
China’s exports of solar panels to the global-south have doubled in the past two years, overtaking global-north sales for the first time since 2018, according to data collated in the Ember export explorer. Global-south imports of Chinese solar panels more than doubled from 60 gigawatts (GW) in 2022 to 126GW in 2024. That surpassed global-north imports, Continue reading
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China’s Hybrid Rice Revolution: Reshape Farming
China’s hybrid rice is transforming agriculture with record-breaking yields and giant plants. The attached video looks at how these innovations enhance food security and sustainable farming. https://youtu.be/B4yCp72MI3Q As of October 2024 , more than 17 million hectares of hybrid rice are planted in China each year, helping boost rice output by about 2.5 million tonnes and Continue reading
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Global electricity consumption surge
Renewable energy accounted for 81.1% of all new global electricity, as global consumption surged by 4.3% in 2024, nearly double the annual average growth rate over the past decade and almost twice as fast as wider energy demand, according to the International Energy Agency. China as the engine of the world’s economy, accounted for more than Continue reading
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China mandates increased use of certified green energy
China’s Renewable Energy Notice provides that Green Energy Certificates (GECs) are the only proof of the environmental attributes of green energy electricity and, as such, the only evidence for recognizing the production and consumption of green energy electricity. On March 18, China’s National Development and Reform Commission and other government departments issued “Opinions on Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Renewable Energy Green Power Certificate Market(关于促进可再生能源绿色电力证书市场高质量发展的意见),” emphasizing the Continue reading
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Quantifying national excess CO2 emissions from the Global North
The following extract is from an important study published 1 September 2020 by the highly respected medical journal, The Lancet. The article provides a key to understanding the response to reducing global carbon emissions in terms of environmental justice. It details a method for quantifying national responsibility for damages related to climate change by looking at national Continue reading
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Chinese renewable energy tech and its influence on the Gulf Cooperation Council energy ambitions
In 2025, Beijing’s strategic location in renewable technology and vital minerals has taken center stage in international affairs, especially in respect to its relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations. Energy diplomacy, economic diversification initiatives, and the worldwide competition for technological leadership in the clean energy sector are all being reshaped by the dynamic interaction between Continue reading
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China’s Antarctic Outpost Swaps Fossil Fuels for Hydrogen, Wind
On a remote island in the Southern Ocean, China’s Qinling Station has switched on Antarctica’s first large-scale hydrogen energy system — a breakthrough in sustaining research operations in one of the harshest places on Earth. The renewable energy system ensures stable power in Antarctica’s extreme conditions, and is estimated to cut fossil fuel use by Continue reading
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The first academic paper in China defining “Ecological Civilization” in 1987
Tracing back to the earliest appearance of the concept of “ecological civilization” in China, Ying Xue (of China Ecological Civilization on Substack) found Ye Qianji’s article Ecological Needs and the Construction of Ecological Civilization published in 1987. This was widely seen as the earliest academic paper defining “Ecological Civilization” in China. Ying Xue would like to share it with Continue reading
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China built hydro facility helps Cambodia meet green transition goals
Deep in the Cardamom Mountains, surrounded by mountains in Koh Kong Province in southwestern Cambodia, the China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro-Electric Station has been continuously delivering clean energy and transmitting development hope to Cambodia for more than a decade. Project construction commenced in 2010 and the plant entered into commercial operation in 2013. Continue reading
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Chinese and Swedish scientists create hybrid high-yield rice that drastically cuts methane emissions
Collaboration between Chinese and Swedish researchers has breed a high-yield rice variety that emits up to 70 per cent less methane than normal rice and almost doubles the yield of common rice varieties. The research team, comprising experts from Hunan Agricultural University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, successfully created a rice Continue reading
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Sustainable rail transport – China built world’s longest electric train
The attached video examines the world’s longest and most powerful electric train: China’s Shen 24. Not only is this a feat of Chinese ingenuity but also a major step forward for the future of sustainable rail transport. This engineering marvel, capable of producing 40,000 horsepower and hauling 30,000 tons, has set new global benchmarks in Continue reading
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China-Chile Environmental and Economic Cooperation
Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Chilean President Gabriel Boric during the 2022 APEC meeting in Bangkok. Chile’s ambitious carbon neutrality goals, supported by its National Green Hydrogen Strategy and advances in renewable energy, have presented significant opportunities for cooperation with China, with investments in hydrogen energy, wind and solar power, and sustainable mining Continue reading
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China powers record solar growth in Belt and Road countries
China installed 8 GW of solar power across various nations under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2024, according to data from Wood Mackenzie. This contribution formed part of a record-breaking 24 GW of total power projects deployed in over 140 participating countries within a single calendar year, the highest since the initiative began Continue reading
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Mobile charging robots powering up EVs on Chinese Expressways
State Grid Corp of China — the world’s largest utility company — has adopted an innovative approach to mobile charging solutions by using autonomous electric vehicle charging robots during China’s Spring Festival holiday this year. Revolutionizing Spring Festival travel rush. At city charging stations and highway service centers, the robots have been busy locating vehicles Continue reading
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China’s Green Sector drives global climate fight
With the return of climate skeptic Donald Trump to the White House — especially his threat to withdraw the United States from all climate treaties including the Paris Agreement, which is central to the battle against climate change and keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius — the heavy lifting on the climate front Continue reading
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Chinese scientists design hybrid heat pump to deliver ultra-high temperatures
Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China have designed an industrial high-temperature heat pump that uses water as a working medium and waste heat recovery technology. “By taking full advantage of the unique advantages of absorption heat transformers at low temperatures and compression heat pumps at high temperatures, the proposed system can achieve high Continue reading
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Shanghai company: A game-changer in green chemical tanker transport
Shanghai Xingtong Lianfa Shipping has launched as a joint venture, advancing green shipping solutions and revolutionizing the global chemical transportation market through innovation, collaboration, and a focus on sustainability In a groundbreaking move for the maritime industry, Shanghai Xingtong Lianfa Shipping Co., Ltd. officially launched on January 6, 2025. The company is a joint venture between Continue reading
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About us
Navigate back to Home Our Editorial Perspective, then and now China Environment News on Facebook was created in late 2019, and in May 2021 we launched our website https://china-environment-news.net . Our aim from the start has been to contribute towards providing more rational and balanced news and analysis about what China is doing to protect the environment, both within that vast nation and Continue reading
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While Bombs Fall, China Powers Hope with Solar in Gaza
China’s low-cost solar panels are bringing light and hope to Palestinians living under the shadow of war in Gaza. In Gaza’s refugee camps, besieged by Israeli occupation forces, one of the most crucial survival tools may come as a surprise: solar panels. While food and water are essential to life, in Gaza, a city under siege, Continue reading
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South Africa’s China-built Concentrated Solar Thermal Power Project
The China-built Redstone Concentrated Solar Thermal Power (CSP) Project in South Africa, the first-of-its-kind in sub-Saharan Africa, is due to be connected to the grid in early September 2024. CSP plants produce electricity by concentrating solar thermal energy using mirrors to reflect the sun to a receiver that collects and stores the heat energy to power a Continue reading
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