China 2060

Nowhere is the link between economic development and global warming more stark than in China, where prosperity has grown exponentially over the past generation and where carbon emissions now account for 30% of the global total. A transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy, in China and around the world, is essential to a livable future on our planet. As the International Energy Agency has observed, “There is no plausible path to limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5°C without China.” In line with COP26 and other climate agreements, Chinese leaders have embraced the energy transition and have announced their intention to steer the economy toward carbon neutrality by 2060. This will require significant technological innovation in renewable energy, infrastructure, electric vehicles, and many other sectors. But beyond such “techno-fixes,” what will the human aspects of China’s energy transition look like, and what role might anthropologists and other social scientists play in bringing it about? This chapter explores how we might bring the best principles of our discipline—creativity, critique, theoretical engagement, and methodological rigor—to bear on this consequential topic. Our contributions will include identifying shared values and ethical commitments, helping policy makers understand the social and economic trade-offs between different energy development options, and advocating for policies that advance both environmental sustainability and human wellbeing.