Solving for Climate Lauri Myllyvirta: Is China a global climate leader?
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Sep 9, 2025 
Lauri Myllyvirta, a Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute and co-founder of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, dives into China's complex climate story. He discusses how China balances its rapid renewable energy expansion with a heavy reliance on coal. The conversation highlights the country's electric vehicle revolution, changes in public perception towards climate, and ethical concerns in global supply chains. Myllyvirta sheds light on China's significant role in global climate solutions while navigating its intricate energy landscape.
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Coal Driven By Grid Inflexibility
- Recent acceleration in coal plant construction responds to grid inflexibility, variable renewables, and rising demand like air-conditioning use.
- China pursues coal, gas, storage and transmission upgrades together, favoring overbuilding to ensure reliability.
Clean-Tech Exports: Small Emissions Share
- Manufacturing clean-tech for export contributes only around 1% of China's emissions, so it is a small part of the country's emissions growth.
- Large absolute numbers in China require distinguishing big contributors from relatively small ones.
Emission Reporting Lags Outside Energy
- China's emissions focus and reporting center on the energy sector while non-energy reporting lags and data releases can be delayed.
- Slow and uneven reporting outside energy makes policy evaluation harder.