Climate Change Opposition Consists of Communities in Coal-Dependent Regions, Citizens Concerned About Economic Trade-Offs, and Less Educated Citizens

Groups and reasons:

In China, attitudes towards climate change and the use of renewable energy have been generally positive since 2009-2011. However, they were often depicted as a Western hoax designed to torpedo China’s economic rise before 2009. The negative narrative reveals that climate misinformation in China is largely shaped by nationalism, a sentiment that political leaders have controlled. From 2009 to 2011, the public consciousness about climate change kept increasing as the Chinese government recognized renewable energy as a significant economic opportunity and invested heavily in solar and wind power.

Aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China strives to gain a leading position in global clean energy, establishing itself as a major manufacturer and exporter of renewable energy technologies. As a result, climate misinformation has been diminishing amid growing public consciousness about climate change. However, groups reluctant to believe in climate change still exist and are more concerned about the economic impact, job security, and potential disruptions to their way of life.

These groups include:

1. Communities in coal-dependent regionsChina is the world’s largest coal producer and consumer, and the coal industry supports many jobs. However, workers and communities in coal-heavy provinces like Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi are concerned about job losses, economic decline, and shifting from coal to renewables. They are hesitant to support energy transitions because of the potential for social dislocation and economic instability.

2. Citizens are concerned about economic trade-offs.Some citizens prioritize rapid economic growth and poverty alleviation over environmental issues. They fear shifting to renewable energy could lead to higher costs, unemployment, and slower economic development. This group might see climate policies as conflicting with short-term economic needs.

3. Less educated citizensLess educated citizens, especially in rural areas, are more skeptical about climate change and less aware of renewables’ environmental benefits. They prioritize economic growth over environmental concerns.

Resistance

The Chinese government has a history of violently suppressing protests. Still, no organized boycotts, lawsuits, political campaigns, or protests have been observed for resisting climate change or using renewable energy. However, on social media, some influencers have tried to exaggerate that climate change is a conspiracy of Western developed countries to gain popularity from less educated citizens and nationalists.

Strategy

China’s approach to overcoming climate change and renewable energy resistance involves education, economic incentives, technological advancements, and targeted policy initiatives.

1. The Chinese government has implemented campaigns to educate the public about climate change and the benefits of renewable energy.Schools increasingly incorporate environmental education into their curricula, and state media highlight the importance of clean energy through news reports, documentaries, and public service announcements. These strategies have successfully eased the resistance of less educated citizens.

2. China offers various subsidies and incentives for renewable energy projects, including tax breaks, favorable loans, and subsidies for large-scale companies and individuals installing solar panels or other small renewable projects.For instance, China has provided significant subsidies to assist electric vehicle production, making China produce and sell half of global EVs. The lower prices of EVs made China sell 9.05 million passenger electric vehicles in 2023, which was 60% of all new electric car registrations globally.

3. China has made significant investments in renewable technologies, from solar and wind power to energy storage solutions, such as lithium-ion and flow batteries, which help address intermittency issues associated with renewables.China’s total utility-scale solar and wind capacity reached 758 GW in the first quarter 2024. By the end of 2024, China is expected to have a combined capacity of 1,300 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar energy, six years ahead of the original 2030 target.

4. China has enforced stricter environmental standards and introduced emissions caps for polluting industries.China aims to control total coal consumption to 6 billion tons of coal equivalence by 2030 while increasing the share of non-fossil energy consumption to nearly 20% so that it can peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060. In addition, Carbon allowance trading regulations were established to ensure the accuracy of entities’ emissions accounting data and annual emissions reports. Organizations producing carbon products must also disclose information such as their emissions inventory, facilities, and accounting methods. China has increased the cost of non-compliance with carbon regulations by imposing daily fines and removing the cap on environmental fines. Company managers who are careless or intentionally circumvent regulations can be detained for up to fifteen days.

All these strategies have successfully reduced the resistance to climate change and renewable energy and the interest in purchasing electric vehicles. In particular, Chinese consumers are generally willing to buy electric vehicles (EVs). A survey of 1,000 Chinese consumers found that 97% of respondents said they would likely buy an EV next, compared to 35% in the US and 43% in Europe.

This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard China Country Manager Feng Zhao.