Climate and Environment

Research and Insights

New energy photovoltaic power generation base in Tengger Desert, Zhongwei City, Ningxia, China

Direct renewable power helps China’s industry bypass EU carbon fees

Johanna Krebs

Comment

Mar 04, 2026

A truck is transporting wind turbine components on the road in Xigai County, Guoyuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China on January 18, 2026.

China’s new Five-Year Plan upgrades climate objectives while accepting continued role of coal

Johanna Krebs

Comment

Feb 26, 2026

Aerial photo workers inspect equipment at a wind power photovoltaic field in Ulanhot, Hinggan League, Inner Mongolia, China, May 23, 2023

Advocate of the Global South, global provider of green tech: China has come to dominate the climate discourse

Johanna Krebs

Comment

Dec 12, 2025

Xie Zhenhua, China special envoy for climate, speaks during a session at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

China at COP28 + UAE between US and China + Evergrande reprieve

MERICS China Essentials

Dec 07, 2023

China Representative, Former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Liu Zhenmin, speaks during a discussion panel in Alliance of Slamm Iceland States (AOSIS) Pavilion during the COP28, UN Climate Change Conference, held by UNFCCC in Dubai Exhibition Center, United Arab Emirates on December 3, 2023.

Climate diplomacy in turbulent times: EU and China re-engage

Barbara Pongratz

Comment

Dec 04, 2023

China and the COP28

Nis Grünberg

Press release

Nov 30, 2023

An aerial view of the Xiaoshan Power Plant in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province.

China’s emerging decarbonization toolkit

Barbara Pongratz

Comment

May 16, 2023

Alexander Brown on how industrial policy adds momentum to China’s push into hydrogen

Alexander Brown

Video

Jan 17, 2023

Nis Grünberg on China’s hydrogen ambitions in the global green technology race

Nis Grünberg

Video

Jan 17, 2023

National security and the climate crisis – China is still not joining the dots

Comment

Dec 21, 2022

An aerial photo shows wind turbines turning under the action of sea breeze at Qushandao Wind Farm in Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, China, Nov 1, 2022.

Getting China to engage on climate change

Nis Grünberg

Barbara Pongratz

Comment

Dec 09, 2022

Aerial view of workers installing solar panels on the roof of a plant of China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Third Harbor Engineering in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province of China.

Net-zero Europe risks a heavy dependence on China

Alexander Brown

Comment

Oct 31, 2022

A wind-complementary power station is seen on a barren hill in Xuzhuang town, Shanting district of Zaozhuang, Shandong Province, China, Aug 26, 2022.

EU-China climate cooperation + China's new Special Representative for Central and Eastern Europe

Grzegorz Stec

MERICS Europe China 360°

Sep 15, 2022

Green hydrogen in China, with Alexander Brown and Nis Grünberg

Podcast

Jul 01, 2022

An aerial photo taken on September 17, 2021 shows the construction site of Qingdao Refinery and Chemical Hydrogen Energy Base project in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.

China’s nascent green hydrogen sector: How policy, research and business are forging a new industry

Alexander Brown

Nis Grünberg

Report

Jun 28, 2022

Power workers inspect photovoltaic power generation facilities at a 35-MEGAwatt "fish-light complementary" photovoltaic power station in Binhai, Jiangsu, March 15, 2022

Climate Club idea needs adjustment if China is to be involved

Barbara Pongratz

Comment

May 24, 2022

China's 14th Five-Year Plan: Implications for Germany and Europe (IGBCE)

Alexander Brown

Max J. Zenglein

Gregor Sebastian

External publication

Jan 24, 2022

China Guangdong Nuclear Power Wind Farm on the ridge southeast of Dalong Town

It’s time for climate competition with China

Roderick Kefferpütz

Comment

Jan 21, 2022

Aerial view of the fishermen working at a fishing area where photovoltaic power panels are used to generate power in Wuzhou city, south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region

Green-tech rivalry will complicate US-China climate cooperation

Nis Grünberg

Comment

Jan 19, 2022

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) is held at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, UK on Nov. 4, 2021.

EU-China Opinion Pool: Rethinking EU-China climate cooperation

Comment

Nov 18, 2021

A Chinese delegate at the Cop26 in Glasgow.

China: The missing presence at COP26

Barbara Pongratz

Nis Grünberg

Comment

Nov 09, 2021

China’s quick way of going green: cutting production to cut emissions

Alexander Brown

Comment

Nov 02, 2021

259167178_MERICS China Industries_211102

Carbon neutrality plan + Standard setting + Tech upgrades in IoT industry

Alexander Brown

Gregor Sebastian

MERICS China Industries

Nov 02, 2021

Climate + China’s 50th UN anniversary + Property tax

MERICS China Essentials

Oct 28, 2021

In China, climate action is a matter for the country's leaders (debate.energy)

Nis Grünberg

Interview

Oct 15, 2021

Xi needs to embrace the EU’s emissions levy on imports

François Chimits

Comment

Sep 17, 2021

EU-China climate policy – balancing cooperation and pressure

Barbara Pongratz

Comment

Jul 30, 2021

Germany-China + Strategic Autonomy + Climate cooperation

Ariane Reimers

Grzegorz Stec

Nis Grünberg

François Chimits

Rebecca Arcesati

MERICS Europe China 360°

Apr 28, 2021

“China knows: The climate crisis is real” (Zeit Online)

Nis Grünberg

Interview

Mar 05, 2021

Agriculture – China’s forgotten climate threat

Paula Kuls

Comment

Feb 09, 2021

New energy heavy-duty truck in Hebei, China

Beijing increases pressure on officials and companies to go “green”

Anna Holzmann

Caroline Meinhardt

Gregor Sebastian

MERICS China Industries

Feb 02, 2021

Global Challenges 2021: Decoupling, climate, connectivity

Podcast

Jan 13, 2021

“Greening” China: An analysis of Beijing’s sustainable development strategies

Anna Holzmann

Nis Grünberg

Report

Jan 07, 2021

BMW's first all-electric SUV iX3 on display during the Auto China 2018 in Beijing

European carmakers fuel Chinese innovation

Gregor Sebastian

Comment

Dec 11, 2020

Fifth Plenum places innovation at the center of China’s modernization

Anna Holzmann

Caroline Meinhardt

MERICS China Industries

Nov 03, 2020

Two cooling towers of the Sahiwal Coal Power plant

Plamen Tonchev on "greening" the Belt and Road Initiative

Interview

Oct 22, 2020

Nis Grünberg on EU-China climate cooperation: "China looks to the EU for the best solutions"

Video

Sep 18, 2020

Experts on Climate and Environment

Nis Grünberg

Lead Analyst

State-party relations; elite politics; China’s sustainable development

Alexander Brown

Senior Analyst

Industrial policy; foreign economic policy

Climate and Environment

Direct renewable power helps China’s industry bypass EU carbon fees

China’s new Five-Year Plan upgrades climate objectives while accepting continued role of coal

Advocate of the Global South, global provider of green tech: China has come to dominate the climate discourse

China at COP28 + UAE between US and China + Evergrande reprieve

Climate diplomacy in turbulent times: EU and China re-engage

China and the COP28

China’s emerging decarbonization toolkit

Alexander Brown on how industrial policy adds momentum to China’s push into hydrogen

Nis Grünberg on China’s hydrogen ambitions in the global green technology race

National security and the climate crisis – China is still not joining the dots

Getting China to engage on climate change

Net-zero Europe risks a heavy dependence on China

EU-China climate cooperation + China's new Special Representative for Central and Eastern Europe

Green hydrogen in China, with Alexander Brown and Nis Grünberg

China’s nascent green hydrogen sector: How policy, research and business are forging a new industry

Climate Club idea needs adjustment if China is to be involved

China's 14th Five-Year Plan: Implications for Germany and Europe (IGBCE)

It’s time for climate competition with China

Green-tech rivalry will complicate US-China climate cooperation

EU-China Opinion Pool: Rethinking EU-China climate cooperation

China: The missing presence at COP26

China’s quick way of going green: cutting production to cut emissions

Carbon neutrality plan + Standard setting + Tech upgrades in IoT industry

Climate + China’s 50th UN anniversary + Property tax

In China, climate action is a matter for the country's leaders (debate.energy)

Xi needs to embrace the EU’s emissions levy on imports

EU-China climate policy – balancing cooperation and pressure

Germany-China + Strategic Autonomy + Climate cooperation

“China knows: The climate crisis is real” (Zeit Online)

Agriculture – China’s forgotten climate threat

Beijing increases pressure on officials and companies to go “green”

Global Challenges 2021: Decoupling, climate, connectivity

“Greening” China: An analysis of Beijing’s sustainable development strategies

European carmakers fuel Chinese innovation

Fifth Plenum places innovation at the center of China’s modernization

Plamen Tonchev on "greening" the Belt and Road Initiative

Nis Grünberg on EU-China climate cooperation: "China looks to the EU for the best solutions"

Nis Grünberg

Alexander Brown

Become a member

Digitalization of China’s auto industry + Concentrated solar power + Innovation points system