Shouqing Zhu has held senior policy and advisory roles with World Economic Forum, UN agencies and World Resources Institute.
The war in the Middle East has disrupted oil and gas supplies, leaving governments to confront energy pressures as they prepare for next month’s Cop31 UN climate conference in Antalya, Turkey.
The crisis raises an enduring question: how can climate action strengthen the resilience of an economy?
China offers a useful case. Its factories supply technologically advanced products essential to the green transition at competitive prices. China has production cost advantages in electric cars, batteries and equipment for wind and solar power. Behind those products lies a development strategy.
China has increasingly brought climate objectives into industrial policy and development planning. That gives the transition a purpose beyond compliance with international agreements: to protect people’s living environment, modernise production and create sources of growth.