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 concern that extends beyond national borders. The choices that China makes both now and further into its economic trajectory will have a decisive impact on Earth's ability to sustain the ecological systems on which human wellbeing depends.

Green Economy and Green Jobs in China: Current Status and Potential for 2020

Worldwatch Report #185 | July 2011

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in China: Current Status and Prospects for 2020

Worldwatch Report #182 | October 2010

Powering China's Development : The Role of Renewable Energy

Worldwatch Report #175 | November 2007

State of the World 2006: Special Focus: China and India

January 2006

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.

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.

Sustainable China Project

Granted by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the Sustainable China Project provides 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.  

In order to spur the new kind of development, Worldwatch China program launched report Green Economy and Green Jobs in China: Current Status and Potential for 2020 along with Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies (IUE). Exploring greening activities in three leading sectors of China’s economy: energy, transportation, and forestry, the report aims to shed light on the current scale of investment and employment in these sectors and to offer estimates of potentials for 2020.