Interview: China's huge leap in energy transition a strong example for other countries, says expert

BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China's "fantastic" achievement in energy transition driven by its clear objectives and policies is setting a strong example for many other countries, Roberto Bocca, head of Center for Energy and Materials at the World Economic Forum (WEF), has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the China Climate and Nature Action Day 2025 held on Wednesday, Bocca, also a member of the WEF's executive committee, praised China for "not only achieving but beating some targets" on its path to the dual carbon goals of peaking emissions by 2030 and achieving neutrality by 2060.

He cited the WEF's Energy Transition Index as an example. In 2020, China ranked 78th in terms of energy transition performance. In 2024, it made a "huge leap" to 17th place -- a dramatic improvement Bocca attributes primarily to China's clear roadmaps and consistent policies.

A key driver of China's transformation has been the remarkable growth of its electric vehicles (EVs) industry, which has led global production and sales for 10 consecutive years.

"The progress over the past 10-15 years has truly shifted the paradigm of how new energy can contribute to the energy transition," said Bocca, who was amazed at the overwhelming number of green car plates during his recent visit to China compared to the previous year. "It's really impressive though I've been to China many times."

Through frameworks such as the United Nations and the Belt and Road Initiative, China has actively promoted the building of a fairer and more equitable global climate governance system, offering investment and technological support to developing countries.

"Investment in emerging economies in renewable energy is really important because this is where energy demand will grow the most," Bocca noted. "If you really want to see a global energy transition, it is also important to make sure the investment is deployed in emerging economies."

The WEF executive stressed the role of cooperation, especially in a rapidly changing era. "At the WEF we do two things: putting facts on the table -- like the index -- and identifying areas where international collaboration can be fostered."

"The world today is quite different from the world six months ago, but there's still significant room for collaboration both at the company and the country level," he said. ■