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Summary

This report written by Joanna Lewis and Laura Edwards for the Center for American Progress analyzes China’s latest energy and climate goals.

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May 6, 2021

Assessing China’s Energy and Climate Goals

Author: Joanna Lewis

This report provides an assessment of China’s recent energy and emissions trends in key sectors to give context for Beijing’s recent and forthcoming climate announcements. In addition, it analyzes China’s progress toward meeting existing energy and climate goals, and where the relative ambition of China’s new climate and energy goals will place the country in coming years. Finally, this report examines the challenges and opportunities for the Biden administration in engaging with China on climate as the United States shores up its own climate policies and charts its domestic transition to a low-carbon economy. Specifically, the report recommends that the United States should engage China on climate change in the coming months in three key areas: increasing near-term ambition; ending financing for coal projects abroad; and accelerating the transition to carbon neutrality.

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