Global Climate Goals and the Coal Dilemma: German Economist Calls for Cooperation with China to Transition away from Fossil Fuels

German Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck believes that China is crucial in achieving global climate goals, but the country must shift away from coal which made up almost 60% of its electricity supply last year. He expressed concern about China’s expansion of coal production for security reasons, but also acknowledged the country’s increasing imports of gas and oil.

Habeck emphasized the importance of cooperation with China and suggested that the country could achieve the same level of security with fewer coal-fired power plants. He noted that integrating variable forms of energy like wind and solar into a system designed for more reliable fuels is a challenge. However, he highlighted the need to move away from traditional methods and focus on more efficient methods.

During a discussion with students at Zhejiang University, Habeck pointed out that despite China’s expansion of coal production, it also added nearly 350 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity in 2023, which is over half of the global total. He suggested extending the power grid and utilizing battery storage to reduce the need for traditional fuel power plants to meet China’s energy demands.

Habeck stressed that economic growth and climate action are not mutually exclusive, stating that transitioning to a climate-neutral economy not only benefits the environment but also creates opportunities for wealth and growth. He emphasized the importance of finding sustainable alternatives to coal in order to address climate change effectively.

In conclusion, German Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck believes that collaboration with China is essential in achieving global climate goals, but China must shift away from coal which makes up nearly 60% of its electricity supply last year. He expressed concern about China’s expansion of coal production for security reasons but acknowledged its increasing imports of gas and oil. During his discussion with students at Zhejiang University, Habeck emphasized the need to move away from traditional methods towards more efficient methods while acknowledging that integrating variable forms of energy like wind and solar into a system designed for more reliable fuels is a challenge. Despite this challenge, Habeck pointed out that extending the power grid and utilizing battery storage could reduce the need for traditional fuel power plants to meet China’s energy demands while stressing that economic growth and climate action are not mutually exclusive, transitioning to a climate-neutral economy benefits both environmentally and economically by creating opportunities for wealth and growth