Abstract
There is no doubt that the world is in the midst of an energy crisis. The volatile political landscape and globally increasing CO2 emissions demand that every country consolidate its resources in search of clean and reliable energy. China is no stranger to this crisis as the country has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2060. Leading the world in CO2 emissions, energy demand, coal consumption, and fossil fuel imports, China’s reliance on coal and other polluting energy sources seems to be the backbone of its very society. Moving away from these established practices will take time, investment, and focus. Despite promising to peak carbon emissions in the next 20 years, their emissions and energy use patterns continue to trend upwards. The country is already responsible for a quarter of the world’s CO2 emissions, yet it continues to build new coal-based power plants at a greater pace than the combined rest of the world. As the world’s leading manufacturer of solar panels and electric vehicles, its development of the renewable energy sector is indeed substantial. However, it must be considered whether this progress will impact the country on a large enough scale to combat their current energy trends. So the question remains: how will China combat its CO2 emissions and take the necessary steps toward clean energy in order to fulfill its ambitious promises? This paper will introduce the physical, social, and economic environment of China and discuss its current uses of energy. Second, it will compare and contrast the energy profiles of China and the United States. Lastly, the paper will discuss the progress of China in recent years and introduce several recommendations for actions that can be taken to combat carbon emissions on its journey toward clean energy and carbon neutrality.
