Energy and Climate
International flows of finance and technology from China are shaping the global landscape of energy infrastructure, with profound implications for climate change, the environment and local livelihoods.
The Global China Initiative’s program on Energy and Climate conducts research on the composition and impacts of China’s overseas energy projects. This work sheds light on political and economic factors determining energy choices by China and countries that borrow or receive financing from China. The program also aims to identify regional, country-level and institutional opportunities for shifting development finance and overseas engagement towards renewable energy sources.
Research Highlights
Energy and Climate – Latest News and Publications
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Capitalizing on Low-Carbon Technology Trade for Developing Countries
May 05, 2025By Praveena Bandara Since the beginning of this year, the US has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, cut back on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – which supported low-carbon technology (LCT) industries – and implemented staggering tariffs on its largest LCT... [ More ]
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Developing Countries Locked Out of Low-Carbon Technology Trade
May 05, 2025A new class of low-carbon goods and services forms the essential inputs for the global transition to lower-carbon and climate-resilient economic growth paths. By constructing a new dataset of such low-carbon technology (LCT) trade, a new journal article published in Science... [ More ]
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No New Coal: A Shift in the Composition of China’s Overseas Power Plant Portfolio?
April 28, 2025 In September 2021, Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged that China would stop financing new overseas coal-fired power plants and instead pledged to ramp up support for renewable energy projects. This announcement marked an important shift in China’s global energy policy, [ More ]
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The Political Economy of Variations in Energy Debt Financing by Two Chinese Policy Banks in Africa
January 14, 2025The African continent faces a multifaceted challenge regarding its energy policy. To bolster economic industrialization and improve livelihoods, leaders seek energy solutions with low carbon emissions while endeavoring to bring electricity to an estimated 600 million people who lack access. Emerging... [ More ]
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The Mosaic of Energy Debt Financing from Chinese Policy Banks in Africa: How and Why One Is Greener than the Other
January 14, 2025By Tianyi Wu African leaders face significant challenges in energy policy as they strive to implement low-carbon energy solutions while expanding electricity access to around 600 million people—43 percent of the total population of Africa. In this context, lending from Chinese... [ More ]
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Around the Halls: A Year in Review and Look Ahead to 2025
December 18, 2024The most notable milestone of 2024 was the 80th anniversary of the Bretton Woods institutions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and World Trade Organization. This anniversary came as calls for ambitious global economic governance reforms gain momentum... [ More ]
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Webinar Summary: China’s Global Energy Finance Database – Data Update, 2000-2023
December 11, 2024By Thang Ha On November 14, 2024, the Boston University Global Development Policy (GDP) Center hosted a webinar on the latest data and trends in China’s overseas energy finance, based on the new update to China Global Energy Finance (CGEF) Database. The... [ More ]
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Political Coalitions for the Energy Transition? How Foreign Companies are Shaping Renewable Energy Policymaking in the Global South
November 18, 2024By Ishana Ratan Low- and middle-income countries face the dual goals of decarbonization and development. It might be expected that among these countries, those with a higher share of foreign direct investment (FDI) in renewable energy will lead in the energy transition. [ More ]
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Chasing the Sun: The Political Economy of Solar Investment in the Global South
November 18, 2024Foreign direct investment is often cited as critical for renewable energy growth in low- and middle-income countries. However, despite the promise of foreign investment, countries like Colombia capable of quickly scaling up solar are still facing an energy crisis. Why has solar... [ More ]
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‘Small’ Belt, ‘Beautiful’ Road: China’s Cautious Return to Global Energy Finance
November 05, 2024A new update to the China’s Global Energy Finance (CGEF) Database, managed by the Boston University Global Development Policy Center, estimates that from 2000-2023, China’s two development finance institutions (DFIs)—the China Development Bank (CDB) and the Export-Import Bank of China... [ More ]