China is always a bit of an enigma to the West: It is the world’s largest user of coal and the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide; the world’s largest car market; it has the world’s largest shale gas resources; and it has been building entire “ghost cities” with no one living in them. But it is also the world leader in energy transition, with more wind and solar deployment than any other nation; it has a massive grid construction program and the world’s largest and most rapid high-speed rail construction program; and before long, it will probably have the world’s largest market for electric vehicles.
To understand the trajectory of the world’s energy transition effort, we have to understand what’s happening in China. But its official data are unreliable, and official statements can vary wildly from the facts on the ground. That’s why in this episode we talk with James West, a senior digital editor for Mother Jones and former senior producer for Climate Desk, who has traveled to China to get those stories firsthand.
Geek rating: 2
Guest: James West, senior digital editor for Mother Jones, former senior producer for Climate Desk, and the author of Beijing Blur.
On Twitter: @jameswest2010
On the Web:
http://www.motherjones.com/authors/james-west
http://www.james-west.net/
Recording date: March 23, 2016
Air date: April 6, 2016
Links
Jaeah Lee and James West, Mother Jones: The Great Frack Forward – Deep Inside the Wild World of China’s Fracking Boom (Sep 2014)
James West, Mother Jones: “Good News: China’s Greenhouse Emissions Might Already Have Peaked” (Mar 7, 2016)
Craig Morris, Energy Transition: “Wind and solar power boom worldwide” (Feb 4, 2016)
Brad Plumer, Vox: “The real war on coal is happening in China right now” (Mar 6, 2016)
VICE: Season 1 Episode 6 Segment 1: “China’s Ghost Towns” (Feb 5, 2014)
Under the Dome – English translation (Mar 9, 2016)
Xinhua: “Lagarde backs China’s 13th Five-Year Plan” (Mar 20, 2016)
The Economist: “Deep in a pit” (Mar 19, 2016)
Ye Xie, Bloomberg: “China Has a $590 Billion Problem With Unpaid Bills” (Mar 20, 2016)
Greenpeace: “China begins to suspend coal-fired power plant approvals, Greenpeace response” (Mar 24, 2016)
The Economic Times of India: “India aims to become 100% e-vehicle nation by 2030: Piyush Goyal” (Mar 25, 2016)
Alejandro Davila Fragoso, Think Progress: “After 115 Years, Scotland is Coal-Free” (Mar 24, 2016)
Cleantech Canada: “Ontario to convert largest coal plant in North America to solar farm” (Mar 11, 2016)
Alexis Hosticka, Arkansas Business: “Department of Energy Gives Approval for Clean Line Project” (Mar 25, 2016)
Diane Cardwell, New York Times: “Wind Power Transmission Project in Plains Earns U.S. Approval” (Mar 25, 2016)