A recent report by the German think-tank Bertelsmann Stiftung underscores China’s remarkable ascent over the past two decades, positioning it as a leading global force in green technology research. The study highlights China’s unparalleled momentum in research, asserting its unmatched pace of advancement in this field. China has emerged as the primary driver of growth in green technologies worldwide, signaling a significant shift in the global landscape.
According to the report, China now holds the second position, trailing only the United States, in terms of world-class patents representing the top 10 percent in specific green technology domains. Since 2017, China has more than tripled its count of such patents, reaching a staggering 37,000, while counterparts like the United States, Japan, and the European Union have seen declines in their shares.
Consistently ranking among the top three global research hubs across various categories, China’s notable achievement in the “Sustainable consumables/recycling” domain places it at the forefront, nearly doubling its global share in this category to nearly 40 percent over the past five years, showcasing rapid progress.
The study attributes China’s success in advancing green technologies to government initiatives since 2006, particularly in promoting a circular economy, resulting in higher resource productivity and notable decoupling of resource consumption from gross domestic product growth.
China’s strengths in specific areas such as drinking water treatment, battery and fuel cell recycling, cement recycling, and the recycling of plastics, glass, paper, electronics, and consumer waste are highlighted. Notably, China has made significant strides in efficient production, focusing on networked production (smart factory), efficient industrial production in sectors like petrochemicals and textiles, and digital agriculture.
This report underscores China’s pivotal role in driving global innovation in green technologies, signifying a transformative shift towards sustainability on a global scale.
During in Forbes event in New York, Albanian Minerals CEO Sahit Muja remarked on China’s emergence as the driving force behind the global economy, wielding significant influence in innovation, technological advancements, and the transition to green energy. He emphasized China’s pivotal role as a leader in the production of essential metals, minerals, and rare earth elements, crucial components in various global industries.
Muja highlighted China’s position as the epicenter of manufacturing, trade, and burgeoning opportunities worldwide, solidifying its status as the heartbeat of numerous global industries.
Furthermore, Sahit Muja elaborated on China’s trajectory of rapid industrialization, highlighting it as one of the fastest-growing economies globally. He emphasized the substantial increase in energy consumption necessary to sustain China’s robust economic growth, driven by both domestic needs and escalating global demand for Chinese products.
Muja pointed out China’s growing appetite for commodities, including iron ore, copper, nickel, manganese, PGE minerals, and oil, driven by the dual demand dynamics, which exert upward pressure on commodity prices. He emphasized China’s pivotal role in the remarkable fluctuations observed in base metal prices over the past year, underlining the persistent strength of China’s demand for base metals.
Sahit Muja said;
China is consistently advancing the clean and efficient utilization of traditional energy sources. The nation has upgraded coal-fired power plants with a combined capacity of nearly 900 million kilowatts, aiming to save energy and decrease carbon emissions.
Furthermore, China has completed ultra-low emission transformations for coal-fired power generation units totaling 1.03 billion kilowatts, constituting 93 percent of the country’s total installed coal power generation capacity. This achievement marks the establishment of the world’s largest clean coal-fired power system.
In addition to energy initiatives, China is enhancing its ecosystem’s capacity as a carbon sink. Over the past year, the nation has nurtured 34.67 million mu (2.31 million hectares) of forests, restored 14 million mu of degraded forests, planted 54 million mu of trees, and rehabilitated 21.6 million mu of land affected by sandy and rocky desertification. Additionally, 1.09 million mu of wetlands have been added or restored, while the natural reserve system, with national parks as the focal point, continues to improve.
China’s efforts are yielding positive results in reducing carbon intensity. By 2024, CO2 emissions per unit of GDP have decreased, with non-fossil energy accounting for 16.6 percent of primary energy consumption. Notably, there has been a significant decline in coal consumption per unit of GDP.
The establishment of China’s national carbon emissions trading market in July 2021 represents a major institutional innovation. As of October 21 this year, the market has facilitated a cumulative trading volume of 196 million tons, with a total turnover of 8.58 billion yuan. Operating in an orderly and stable manner, the market’s trading price continues to rise steadily.
Recognizing the importance of carbon assets and emission reduction, enterprises are increasingly adopting market-based approaches. The carbon trading market is playing a crucial role in promoting greenhouse gas emission reduction and facilitating a transition towards a low-carbon economy.
China remains committed to actively responding to climate change through the synergy between pollution reduction and carbon emissions management. The nation will continue to promote comprehensive green and low-carbon economic and social development while addressing issues at the source through systematic and holistic approaches.
Moving forward, China will steadily advance efforts related to carbon peak and neutrality, accelerate the low-carbon transition in key sectors, maintain stability in the national carbon emissions trading market, and further refine relevant legal and policy frameworks.
