China Started a Green Revolution. Nobody Talks About It.

I knew what an N95 mask was long before most of my German friends. It was a chilly autumn day in Shanghai back in 2013. My Chinese teacher wrote two rather complicated characters for "smog" on the whiteboard. Then she handed out respirators to me and my classmates.

The entire city was blanketed in thick, gray haze—the kind you could feel in your lungs and throat if you dared to breathe unfiltered air. The air quality index app read 600+, a number so high it exceeded the scale entirely.

Fast forward to today. As I write these lines, I look out the window of my apartment in Shanghai. I see blue skies and white clouds—a view I used to associate only with my rural hometown in Germany.

The street below is buzzing with life. Cars, delivery vans, and scooters zip by—but it’s almost silent. Why? Because roughly 70% of the cars and virtually 100% of the scooters are electric. And no one I see is wearing a mask.

What happened?

Just yesterday, I read an article buried on page 7 of a German newspaper:

China Uses More Electricity — But Emits Less CO₂ Renewable energy boom pushes coal, oil, and gas into retreat.

Wow. That’s big news. It should be on the front page. While Western media often focuses on China’s industrial growth and carbon emissions, a quiet but monumental shift is happening: China is leading the world in green energy expansion—and hardly anyone is talking about it.

Here are just a few examples:

 

1. The World's Largest Renewable Energy Producer

China now generates more solar, wind, and hydro power than any other country, accounting for over 50% of global renewable capacity growth in recent years. In 2023 alone, China installed:

• 216 GW of solar power (more than the rest of the world combined)

• 76 GW of wind power (doubling the U.S. and EU installations)

2. China's EV Dominance

China controls over 60% of global EV sales, with brands like BYD outselling Tesla in key markets. The country also produces 80% of the world’s solar panels and 70% of lithium-ion batteries.

3. Reforestation on a Massive Scale

Since 1990, China has planted over 66 billion trees—covering an area larger than France. The "Great Green Wall" project aims to plant 100 billion trees by 2050 to combat desertification.

4. Carbon Neutrality Pledge - Ahead of Schedule

Despite being the world’s largest emitter (due to its size and manufacturing role), China is on track to peak emissions by 2025—five years earlier than promised. Its 2060 carbon neutrality goal could reshape global climate efforts.

The Bottom Line 

China’s green revolution isn’t just real—it’s accelerating faster than most predictions. While challenges remain (especially coal reliance in some regions), the scale of its investments in renewables, EVs, and reforestation is unmatched.

The world should take notice—because China might just end up leading the fight against climate change, whether we acknowledge it or not.

Would you have believed this transformation possible ten years ago?

Let me know your thoughts! 🌏

Stay curious,

Thomas 

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Bonus: 3 Chinese Green Tech Stories to Watch

🌞 LONGi Solar (Xi’an): The world’s largest solar panel manufacturer. Low-cost, high-efficiency panels powering everything from rooftop arrays in Europe to mega farms in Africa.

🚛 NIO Power (Shanghai): Their battery-swap model is changing how electric vehicles operate—solving one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption: wait time.

🏙 State Grid’s UHV Lines (Nationwide): Ultra-high voltage transmission technology moves renewable energy from far-flung deserts to booming coastal cities. A global first.