WILL CHINA SAVE THE PLANET?

Now that Trump has turned the United States into a global climate outcast will China take the lead in saving our planet from environmental catastrophe Many signs point to yes China the world s largest carbon emitter is leading a global clean energy revolution phasing out coal consumption and leading the development of a global system of green finance But as leading China environmental expert Barbara Finamore explains it is anything but easy The fundamental economic and political challenges that China faces in addressing its domestic environmental crisis threaten to derail its low carbon energy transition Yet there is reason for hope China s leaders understand that transforming the world s second largest economy from one dependent on highly polluting heavy industry to one focused on clean energy services and innovation is essential not only to the future of the planet but to China s own prosperity