Chinese summit helps craft future of clean technology

Insight

A two-day summit just wrapped up in Beijing, focusing on clean technology.

The event brought together government officials, business owners and investors, all with one common goal. CCTV’s Wang Tongxuan reports.

The Chinese cleantech market has abundant opportunities. It spent over $100 billion in clean energy investment in 2015.

“We need to support clean-tech from all aspects, including the legislature or energy conservation. Then we need to issue supportive policies, such as offering tax reduction to support sustainable projects. Last but not least, the central government needs to have a strategic plan, and to identify selected regions to further develop green technology,” Wang Yi, Vice President of institute of science and development at CAS said.

Data show China’s emissions declined by 1.5 percent in 2015, as coal use dropped for the second year in a row.

And the adoption of low carbon energy sources jumped from 19 percent to 29 percent, with the bulk going to hydro and wind power.

“I think some of the recent changes to environmental policy particularly with respect to liability issues and the ability of third parties for example to bring legal action against polluters. It will fundamentally change the dramatics here,” Kenneth Strong, managing partner at Global Acceleration Partners said.


Han Chen on rise of clean energy in China

CCTV America’s Mike Walter spoke to Han Chen. She’s an international climate advocate at Natural Resources Defense Council.