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New Energy World
New Energy World embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low carbon technologies.
Is President Xi Jinping’s Green Dream still alive?
7/6/2023
8 min read
Feature
China’s President Xi Jinping has embarked on an unprecedented third term in office, but policymakers have set an economic growth target of just 5% for 2023 – the lowest in decades. What does this mean for infrastructure and energy investment now? Adrian Holliday, capital markets journalist, reports.
Does a 2023 5% growth target for China mean renewable energy investment in the world’s second biggest economy is seeing a reset? Or even suggest a bout of new ‘realism’ after decades of out-performance?
The advantage of lowered expectations means disappointment risk can be better managed. Especially after a chronically bad hangover. Chinese growth in 2022 was just 3% as it crawled its way out of COVID-19 lockdowns. Even that figure is open to question, some think.
Dr Hongyi Lai, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham, says any close reading of China’s economy must absorb contradictory signals. As far as hydro, wind and solar investment and production goes, the world’s biggest CO2 emitter is robustly lashed to its five-year plan.