As part of its plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2060, China has made significant investments in research and development (R&D) into technologies that can reduce or capture greenhouse gas emissions from polluting industries.

China's investment in greenhouse gas emissions technology R&D is not only important for achieving the country's own carbon neutrality goals, but also for the global effort to address the climate emergency. China is responsible for manufacturing more than 25% of the world’s goods, and as a leader in green technology it is supporting other countries to transition away from fossil fuels and decarbonise.

China currently directs a significant amount of resources into researching and developing technologies to reduce emissions - including electric vehicles, carbon capture and storage technologies, hydrogen fuel cells and renewable energy systems. Investment in these technologies has already led to major improvements and cost reductions in batteries, charging infrastructure, and wind and solar technologies, among many others.

However, poor labor conditions in China are a serious concern for its development of clean technologies and R&D processes. Chinese solar companies have been tied to the use of forced labor, for example, and independent unions are illegal. Research and development is a critical arena for bringing the just transition into a cleaner planet, and Chinese R&D is not emulating these important ideas.

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• Government policy spurs investment in Chinese climate tech (GreenBiz)

• China’s emissions from Manufacturing and Industrial processes (ClimateWatch)

• China’s CO2 emissions see longest sustained drop in a decade (CarbonBrief)

• Is China the World’s Worst Climate Culprit? (Novara Media)

• Support companies and organizations that are investing in emissions reduction technologies.

• Consider the barriers to decarbonisation in your company, and whether it could undertake research and development to remove them. 

• Advocate for international cooperation on emissions technology research and development.