Clean energy plants that do not emit greenhouse gasses while generating electricity can play a major part in reducing China’s carbon dioxide emissions. Almost all the country’s CO2 emissions come from energy and industrial processes, with coal heavy electricity generation contributing about half of that total, according to the International Energy Agency. 68% of China’s electricity generation in 2019 came from burning fossil fuels – cleaning up China’s grid would constitute a huge step towards its goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.

Despite its significant coal portfolio, China has made significant strides in building clean electricity plants in recent years, becoming the world’s largest renewable energy investor and producer. China has added more renewable generation capacity in recent years than any other country, and more than the European Union as a whole. Yet China’s economy has also been growing rapidly, and the increased demand for electricity has ultimately meant that China has held onto old coal plants and built many new ones. To truly decarbonize, China will likely need to decommission many of these coal plants early while continuing to ramp up investments in clean electricity and the infrastructure required to support it.

Discard 1 card from your hand, then add 1 Clean Energy token to your player board for each Grid tag in this card's stack.

• China Invests $546 Billion in Clean Energy (Scientific American)

• State of Climate Action 2022 (World Resources Institute, WRI)

• China (International Energy Agency, IEA)

• Donate to an organization that works to improve access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy. Sustainable Energy for All, for example, aims to ensure everybody has access to such energy by 2030.

• Support clean energy initiatives in your community, for example those that install solar panels or support community energy projects.

• Try to find the greenest option for your energy supply. Some companies will work with your power company to ensure they are supplying electricity from renewables to match your electricity use. Contracting with one of these companies helps show power companies that their customers want more renewables.