China has been doing an astounding job of reducing the use of fossil fuels for transport. Australia is lagging so far behind.
I am jealous that I can no longer be part of China’s advances. I was involved in the very early stages of China’s electrification and construction of its high speed rail system. It has been quicker and cheaper to catch a train between many Chinese cities than to catch a plane for many years now. I left Hong Kong and China where I had been leading the environmental planning of many major projects because I was smashed by a taxi running a red light on a pedestrian crossing in Paris. Unable to dress myself for 12 months I returned to Australia.
A little memento of my time at a celebratory dinner about the start of China’s high speed rail system is pictured below.
I worked as an Environmental Scientist in China and Hong Kong for a decade. My son married a wonderful Chinese lady and I have 2 grandsons living in the New Territory of Hong Kong. Having worked in Hong Kong both sides of 1997 and the transfer from British to Chinese sovereignty, I have some sympathy with the younger generation of Chinese who have enjoyed a democratic political situation for most of their lives. However, it should be remembered that Hong Kong under the British was far from democratic until the last Governor Chris Patten moved quickly to make changes.
The Australian media often describes China in a critical tone. There seems to be little understanding of the insults that have been delivered and copied around the world. Yes, we do need to stand firm on many critical issues but the language in which our views are expressed are often insulting and culturally inappropriate. In some cases, we need to be careful that it is not a case of the pot calling the kettle black. My young teenage grandson explains the interpretation given to many of our press articles. Of mixed heritage, he currently sees himself as Australian with strong Scottish genes.
China has done so much to help the Earth’s climate. The birth rate in many countries falls with prosperity and educational levels. China recognised the problems associated with massive population growth and brought in the One Child Policy. The degree of social and family disruption has been enormous and still continues – but the population curve has been slowed.
I sometimes hear that China is not doing anything about climate change. It is a difficult challenge to bring hundreds of millions of people out of poverty while decreasing CO2 emissions at the same time. In a recent speech by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Xi stressed that the country’s green pursuit is no easy job. He said that strategic thinking must be improved as people should bear in mind the big picture throughout the entire process of delivering the carbon peaking and neutrality goals.
Xi Jinping stated that the relations between development and emission reduction must be properly handled. Cutting emissions is not aimed at curbing productivity or no emissions at all. Economic development and green transition should be mutually reinforcing.
While bringing down carbon emissions, efforts should be made to safeguard energy security, industrial and supply chain security, and food security, as well as ensure people’s normal daily lives.
Simon Evans posted the following graph on Twitter
Yicong Zhu, an analyst of renewable energy for Rystad Energy expects over 50 gigawatts of utility solar PV and onshore wind projects to be connected to the grid in China, despite the end of national subsidies for these energy sources. Large battery storage facilities to match with these projects are proceeding. New ultra-high voltage cross-province transmission lines are being constructed to match the projects.
According to Xi Jinping: It is necessary to accelerate the development of new energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass and hydrogen energy that have scale and benefits, coordinate hydropower development and ecological protection, and actively develop nuclear power in a safe and orderly manner.
The numbers are changing rapidly, China opened a nuclear power plant in December and one more on 1 January 2022. The World Nuclear Association data lists China as having 53 operating plants, 18 under construction with another 200 planned or proposed.
How can anyone claim China is not doing its share of climate change mitigation? One argument rests on the fact that China is using increasing amounts of coal. CO2 levels emitted from China are increasing. However, it often forgotten that a lot of the metals and rare earth elements needed for ultimate decarbonisation are either mined or processed in China and this all takes energy for electricity and metallurgy. Then there is industrial production of the equipment to generate renewable power. Australia just imports wind turbines and solar panels. We are not manufacturing the equipment although we do mine ores for such essential metals as iron, copper, aluminium and lithium.
In 1999, I was invited to a special dinner and announcement. I had been leading some environmental studies for the Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation at the time. The invitation was a real honour and the memento of the occasion given to me is shown below.
Translation: China Hong Kong Railroad Association Establishment Celebration. 1999 January 25
The big announcement was the plan by China, with the participation of Hong Kong, to build a very extensive network of electric high- speed trains throughout China. By 2008 the first line was operational from Beijing to Tianjin. By 2013, 10,000 km was operational. There is now about 40,000 km of track and 70,000 km will be built by 2035.
Such projects require massive quantities of concrete and steel. Until innovative technologies replace current methods of production, massive amounts of CO2 are generated to make these materials. In operation, Chinese high- speed trains are powered by electricity and unless the electricity is very green, more CO2 results. Train travel has already reduced aeroplane fuel use in China. It is hard to see how China can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the near future but long term, China is surely on track to massively cut GHG emissions.
My Blog has become My Nuclear Journey 