China’s post-COVID-19 stimulus: No Green New Deal in sight

•China has announced its stimulus package to help recovery from the COVID-crisis.•The package does not push for a massive construction boom that would billow carbon emissions.•The package does not seize the momentum to accelerate energy transitions either.•Wider energy policy currently strongly favo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental innovation and societal transitions 2020-09, Vol.36, p.250-254
Main Authors: Gosens, Jorrit, Jotzo, Frank
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:•China has announced its stimulus package to help recovery from the COVID-crisis.•The package does not push for a massive construction boom that would billow carbon emissions.•The package does not seize the momentum to accelerate energy transitions either.•Wider energy policy currently strongly favors investment in fossil over clean energy.•The COVID-crisis may reduce green ambition in the 14th Five-Year Plan, currently being designed. Much hope has been placed on China’s decisions regarding low-carbon stimulus following COVID-19. Analysis of China’s recent Government Work Report suggests that while a repeat of recovery measures focused on high-emissions infrastructure following the 2008 global recession is not in the cards, a Chinese Green New Deal is not in sight either. Much investment is flowing to fossil fuel industries, whilst support policies for renewable energy industries are absent from Beijing’s recovery program. These signs of environmental ambition taking a back seat are worrisome given that Beijing is currently designing its 14th Five-Year Plan.
ISSN:2210-4224
2210-4232
DOI:10.1016/j.eist.2020.07.004