The Global Politics of Climate Change

Abstract

International Energy Agency (IEA)'s 2021 statistics show that “transportation was responsible for 37% of global CO2 emissions (IEA, 2021).” The IEA also suggests that “carbon emissions from transportation must decrease by 20% by 2030 to achieve the global net zero target by 2050 (IEA, 2021).” This paper will concentrate primarily on the road sector, which accounts for 76.6% of transportation's carbon emissions and is one of the most dependent industries on fossil fuels. Therefore, the transition to clean energy in the transportation industry, particularly the road sector, is a pressing concern for the whole world. Introducing and promoting electric vehicles would be the most effective and feasible solution to work on in the near future. Compared to conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles, electric vehicles have advantages in both driving and manufacturing for carbon reduction. This paper will analyze the background of the global electric vehicle market and the divergence facing the industry, with an emphasis on China as a case study of a global leader in the industry. This paper will then evaluate the incentive effect of Chinese government policies on the electric vehicle market, investigating whether other countries could learn from China. To predict the future development strategy of China's electric vehicle industry, I also briefly interviewed Mrs. Zhang Ying, the manager of China's largest battery producer, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL). She is the most popular candidate to lead the new Shanghai department of CATL. This paper also covers the United States as a representative of countries with a strong will to develop the electric vehicle industry and attempt to reduce their dependence on China. Their prior efforts and future potential paths are assessed.