Pilot scheme by Towngas and government extracts hydrogen from coal gas to power vehicles such as double-decker buses and ships.

China’s solar sector is expanding at record speed as costs of components drop and demand remains strong, which in turn is expected to further boost renewable energy installation in the country and globally.

China should set a clear timetable to expand the scope and robustness of its carbon trading market, as its progress has been disappointing, expert says.

The Greater Bay Area is expected to continue to lead the way in meeting China’s demand for capital to fund its decarbonisation push, facilitating up to US$28.29 trillion in financing.

Shanghai Sinofuelcell forecasts that its sales of hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles will more than double this year as Beijing promotes the technology as part of its pursuit of carbon neutrality by 2060.

Some 20 per cent of the world’s population will be exposed to dangerous heat conditions by 2100 if global warming reaches 2.7 degrees, according to a study by University of Exeter and Nanjing University.

The shift to a circular economy could prevent 500 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, resulting in more than US$4.5 trillion in net savings and external costs up to 2040, according to a UNEP report.

Significant gap remains between listed firms’ climate commitments and their carbon emissions according to MSCI’s Net-Zero Tracker, says analyst Sylvain Vanston.

Higher emissions driven by economic rebound after the end of long zero-Covid policy, stimulus measures and weak hydropower generation.

Over US$21 billion worth of orders were placed during the spring session of the Canton Fair, with around 500,000 green and environmentally friendly products on show amid China’s heavy investment in renewable materials to facilitate its green transition.

In Q&A, German special envoy for international climate action Jennifer Morgan suggests ways for China to increase its nationally determined contributions, including altering emissions targets or renewable energy plans.

Project on the Gansu-Ningxia border is part of planned westward extension of controversial south-north water diversion network.

Greenpeace International, Stand.earth and 350 Asia said the world’s largest chip maker should target 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

Hong Kong companies should conduct a thorough assessment of their assets and operations’ exposure to climate-change risks, even if the city’s financial markets are yet to price them in, according to an analytics provider.

China, the world’s largest hydrogen producer, could utilise the clean fuel to meet its zero-carbon goals as the element not only generates power when burned but also can be used as a storage device for energy.

Mainland China, which accounts for about half of the world’s total annual coal consumption, needs to do more in terms of climate commitments, a special envoy from Europe’s largest economy says.

Multiple technologies like carbon dioxide capture and energy-efficient iron ore reduction are being trialled amid decarbonisation efforts, according to McKinsey.

Of the 200 or so ‘globally significant’ institutions with formal policies restricting investment in coal-related projects, only three are from China, according to the Ohio-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

Relations between the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters remain tense over issues like Taiwan and an alleged Chinese spy balloon in US airspace.

With regulators in the Asia-Pacific region poised to take action against greenwashing by companies, asset managers must step up the scrutiny of climate impact and sustainability disclosures, a panel discussion has heard.

China must enhance its energy security by investing more in grid infrastructure to improve its flexibility to cope with demand and supply shocks, analysts including Greenpeace’s Xie Wenwen say.

China’s Greater Bay Area is promoting several decarbonisation projects that will embrace international disclosure and verification standards as it seeks to draw more green financing to help fund the country’s plan of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.

The Cambridge Blockchain Network Sustainability Index shows Ethereum’s annual energy consumption remains a tiny fraction of bitcoin’s amid rising interest after switching to a more sustainable validation process.

Energy-intensive aluminium production in the hydropower-reliant Chinese province helps drive the regional economy, but authorities say that persistent drought conditions necessitate power rationing.

In this edition of the Global Impact newsletter, we mark Earth Day with a look at the latest climate change efforts.

A team of scientists from Fuzhou University in China’s southern Fujian province – one of the country’s biggest tea-growing areas – claims to have developed a solution to extract protein from green tea residue.

Global efforts like the quality assessment framework to enhance voluntary carbon markets’ integrity will improve transparency and boost credit buyers’ confidence, analysts say.

Effort would boost the region’s economic output by up to 6.3 per cent, with households facing higher prices and higher taxes, Asia Society Policy Institute says.

Ding appears set to become the country’s top decision maker on the issue after meeting Sultan al-Jaber in Beijing.