Beijing’s controversial coal funding

By
Nico Beckert

Under US President Joe Biden, climate change is once again becoming a priority in US climate policy. Biden’s focus is also on Beijing. China is the world’s largest promoter of coal-fired power plants abroad. Biden already sharply criticized this during the election campaign. In his climate plan, he promises to work with other countries to hold China to high environmental standards in the “New Silk Road” or “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI). The US will urge G20 nations to end export financing for coal-fired power plants. On Monday, EU foreign ministers also called for “an immediate end to all financing of new coal infrastructure in third countries” – but without explicitly naming China. In Germany, Biden’s demands have met with approval from Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck. In a guest article for the FAZ, they call for “a constructive involvement of China and a significant reduction of coal financing in emerging and developing countries”.