Q&A with Ma Jun: lessons from China, the world leader in renewable energy

As founding director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE), an environmental protection organization, Ma Jun has pioneered the use of comprehensive data systems to monitor environmental compliance among millions of corporations across the country.

Ma delves into the global implications of China’s environmental policies. Given the country’s aggressive push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and expand its renewable energy potential, Ma emphasizes the importance of integrating these efforts with global environmental strategies. His insights reveal how China’s domestic politics influence its position on the international stage and provide lessons for global cooperation to address climate change and sustainable development challenges.

Dialogue Earth: Can you describe current environmental policies and their impact on environmental quality in China?

Mom Jun: China has adopted the ecological-civilization principle, prioritizing pollution control and environmental protection. As a result, laws and regulations have been strengthened and their enforcement has been significantly improved. From our perspective as an NGO focused on using data to mobilize stakeholder participation, we have seen historic progress in China’s environmental monitoring and enforcement efforts, particularly in terms of transparency.

This level of transparency allows us to collect data on environmental quality across water, soil, coastal seas and biodiversity, and track the performance of millions of corporations. Pollution control efforts over the past decade have reduced air pollution in major regions of China by more than 50%. For example, levels of PM2.5 (fine soot particles less than 2.5 micrometers wide) in Beijing fell from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 32 mg in 2023.

There was also a significant improvement in water quality. The country’s sulfur dioxide emissions dropped from over 20 million tonnes to less than 2.5 million tonnes in 10 years. In addition, clean air efforts, such as shutting down large numbers of coal-fired boilers, have yielded additional benefits. This policy benefits not only China, but also its surrounding regions and the global environment.

Can you describe China’s coal consumption trends and efforts being made to address coal-related pollution?

Between 2000 and 2012, coal consumption in China tripled. However, since the 2013 Clean Air Action Plan, China’s coal consumption has stabilized and thousands of coal mines have been closed, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Since 2014, thousands of factories, power plants and sewage treatment plants have been required to disclose hourly monitoring data. We visualized this data by launching the Blue Map app, enabling public identification and correction of violations, bringing major emitters into compliance.

By making environmental data public, our goal is to reduce pollution from the global supply chain. We currently track approximately 16 million corporations in China, mapping and color-coding them based on their environmental performance, helping international and local brands improve their supply chain management. Before signing contracts, many companies compare their suppliers against our database of violators, resulting in significant changes in environmental (business) practices, and tens of thousands disclosing their emissions.

China’s environmental policies, along with green supply chain requirements and green finance, are facilitating the ongoing transition to low-carbon technology. As China pledges to achieve maximum carbon dioxide emissions (by 2030) and become carbon neutral (by 2060), some energy-intensive industries have also taken action, with more than half of steel companies now reporting their carbon emissions, and the third reveals the product’s carbon footprint.

However, the post-pandemic economic recovery, energy market volatility and heightened geopolitical tensions have prompted major economies to increase fossil fuel production, increasing global carbon dioxide emissions. With coal consumption rising again, ensuring energy security without switching to fossil fuels remains a challenge for China and other key Asian exporters.

What role does Southeast Asia play in shaping international environmental agreements and what challenges does the region face?

Southeast Asia plays an important role in the global ecological transition. Since the lifting of Covid restrictions, I have attended several meetings in Southeast Asia and have been very impressed by the dynamic socio-economic development of the region. We are characterized by strong optimism and openness to learning from best practices. However, rapid economic growth often leads to increased emissions if sound policies are not implemented.

We have observed real interest from stakeholders, including international agencies, national government agencies and non-governmental organizations, in implementing the green transition. Still, some countries in the region are lagging behind in their ecological transition relative to their economic development, which risks repeating China’s mistakes that could expose people to pollution. Some cities in Southeast Asia are struggling with serious pollution problems, reminiscent of the pollution days that occurred in China. There are opportunities to learn from our experiences, and one of them is the synergy of pollution control with climate action.

What are the key challenges and opportunities in China’s transition from carbon-intensive energy to renewable energy?

China’s success in transitioning to renewable energy is due to continued policy support for both manufacturing and research and development. Providing space to private entrepreneurs instead of state-owned enterprises has stimulated market competitiveness and innovation. Some top entrepreneurs have invested a significant portion of their income in technological innovation, which has proven to be very beneficial.

China is set to meet its 2030 target of 1,200 gigawatts of solar and wind power ahead of schedule, with electric vehicle penetration rates also exceeding targets. Investments in renewable energy and related industries have helped generate new growth points for China. These sectors, crucial in the face of a deteriorating real estate market, accounted for 40% of China’s GDP growth last year.

How does the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) affect local ecosystems in host countries?

The Belt and Road Initiative has an ecological component focusing on environmental sustainability. Many Belt and Road countries, especially in the Global South, face challenges similar to those faced by China, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. China has developed practical solutions to these problems that may be helpful to these countries.

For example, the global supply chain has historically had a significant environmental impact in China, dumping waste in our backyards and polluting the air, water and soil. Now, as the supply chain shifts to other countries, China has the potential to work with ASEAN countries to address these issues. In terms of energy transition, many Belt and Road countries are still highly dependent on fossil fuels and lack basic electricity services. There is a real opportunity to leverage Chinese solutions to accelerate the energy transition and improve access to energy in a more affordable and sustainable way.

How has China’s waste import ban changed the global recycling industry?

China’s ban on foreign garbage exports has significantly changed the global waste recycling industry. China was once a major importer and processor of the world’s waste. The sudden cessation of this practice had global consequences. Now countries must find other channels to deal with their waste problems. Globally, every country must find ways to manage its own waste, becoming more self-sufficient and self-sufficient.

China has set goals for 2025 and 2030 to build its own garbage sorting systems. Although the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted this process to some extent, with some cities falling behind schedule, it is still possible to achieve these goals. Some cities in China have managed to build sophisticated garbage sorting systems comparable to those in Japan. Blue Map encourages users to participate in surveys that help us understand waste sorting practices in their regions. The number of objects they helped examine reached 100,000, which helped assess the functioning of cities.

Finally, what message would you like to leave to the Southeast Asian region regarding environmental cooperation?

We are in the same region and face similar environmental challenges. Southeast Asia is one of the areas most vulnerable to global climate change and environmental impacts. I hope we can find ways to collaborate even more. Practical solutions developed in China may fit local conditions in Southeast Asia. If interested, Southeast Asian countries will find willing Chinese partners to join their efforts to control climate and pollution. Cooperation, exchange of knowledge and experiences are crucial to overcoming these challenges and achieving a green and low-emission transformation.