China Program
Worldwatch Institute's China Program helps decision makers both in China and around the globe better understand the environmental challenges and opportunities facing this vast country of 1.3 billion people. By providing independent and credible research on China's natural resources, environment, energy, climate change, and policies, Worldwatch serves as a go-to source on China's sustainable development. The program also aims to build capacity among Chinese researchers and to connect them with the Institute's global network of like-minded experts.
With China overtaking the United States as the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, how this influential country tackles its rising energy demand and other environmental challenges has become a global concern. The environmental consequences of China's current economic development already reach beyond national borders. The choices that China makes both now and in the future will have a decisive impact on Earth's ability to sustain the ecological systems on which human wellbeing depends.
The current political climate offers new opportunities for greater environmental understanding and cooperation between the United States and China. Progress on international climate negotiations will depend on a new level of leadership by both governments. As a globally focused research institute, Worldwatch is well poised to help bridge the information gap between leaders and researchers from both countries and to facilitate better communication on sustainability between China and the rest of the world.
Major ProjectsSustainable China Project Granted by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the Sustainable China Project will provide information and ideas to spur a new kind of development in China based on clean technology, innovative design, and high levels of efficiency. The work also aims to encourage China’s role in exporting environmentally friendly technology and policy ideas to Africa and other developing countries to achieve global sustainability and the elimination of poverty. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in China: Current Status and Prospects for 2020 Commissioned by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), this initiative provides a comprehensive review of the status of renewable energy and energy efficiency in China as of 2010. The resulting report lays the framework for constructive policy recommendations to help Chinese decision makers address domestic energy and environmental challenges. It also enables other nations to learn from China's extensive experience in promoting clean energy options.
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| Publications
Worldwatch Report #185: Green Economy and Green Jobs in China: Current Status and Potential for 2020
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In order to spur the new kind of development, Worldwatch China program launched report 
China in the Next 30 Years
State of the World 2006: Special Focus, China and IndiaStaff
Haibing Ma, China Program Manager
Athena Jiajing Bi, China Program Intern
Qiong Xie, China Program Intern
Worldwatch Commentary
Will China’s First Nationwide Feed-in-Tariff Become the Backbone of its Solar Industry?, by Qiong Xie, September 26, 2011
China is on its Way to Capping its Total Energy Consumption, by Haibing Ma, September 9, 2011
Worldwatch Report Focuses on China’s Green Future, by Haibing Ma and Danielle Nierenberg, August 19, 2011
Ambitious Plans and Equally Great Challenges: An Overview of China’s Offshore Wind Power Development, by Qiong Xie, Aug 17, 2011
China’s Power Shortage Calls for Sustainable Energy Plan, by Jiajing Bi, July 11,2011
Data Challenges in Green Economy and Green Jobs Research in China, by Haibing Ma, June 29, 2011
China’s New Solar Goal: Does a Doubled Target Mean Double Trouble? by Haibing Ma, June 08, 2011
China’s Statistical Challenges Stymie Accountable Development, by Haibing Ma, May 20, 2011
China’s “Green Aid” Offers Lessons for the World, by Jiajing Bi, April 29, 2011
In China, Clean Energy Transition Brings Jobs and Lessons for the World, by Haibing Ma and Jiajing Bi, April 13, 2011
"China's 'Silicon Bubble' Deflates at Early Stage" by Yingling Liu in Eye on Earth, October 2, 2009
"Wind Energy Could Power China, Study Finds," by Ben Block in Eye on Earth, September 16, 2009
"A Chinese Perspective on Climate and Energy," in Worldwatch Institute, State of the World 2009 (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2009).
"Environmental Movement," in Berkshire Encyclopedia of China, May 2009.
Partners
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
In order to better implement the Ministry’s goals of "a fair world" and "an influential Finland in the international community," the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland has partnered with Worldwatch China Program since 2009 on Sustainable China Project.
Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies
Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, established in 1994, is aimed to become an internationally renowned and domestically fist-class research institution in urban and environmental studies. With the interdisciplinary strength, the institute is recommended to the United Nations secretariat of the UNFCCC for climate policy research.
Global Environmental Institute (GEI)
GEI is China's first independent environmental research institute and has been a Worldwatch partner since 2005. GEI's main focus is to provide market-based models for solving environmental problems, in order to achieve development that is economically, ecologically, and socially sustainable.
Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA)
Set up in 2000, CREIA aims to encourage the development and utilization of renewable energy in China to address the environmental and energy problems arising from the country's current development course. As an independent industrial association, CREIA is a knowledge powerhouse on China's renewable energy sector. It also reaches out to China's government and policy research organizations specializing in renewable energy and energy industries.
The Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP)
REEEP is an active, global partnership that works to reduce the barriers within policy, regulatory and financial structures that bar and limit the uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and projects. Backed by national governments, businesses, development banks and NGOs, REEEP is uniquely placed to contribute to international, national and regional policy dialogues.