The geographies of the energy transition in the PRC: and the impact on its (digital) society

The People’s Republic of China (PRC), as the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has embarked on an ambitious energy transition strategy, aiming to reach peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. This ambitious transition is driving the growth of green markets and the expansion of digitalisation. A number of papers address the phenomenon of utilising digital technology to enhance an energy transition. However, not much is known about the impact of the energy transition in the PRC on the digital sphere and the (digital) society. The study finds that the energy transition in the PRC is utilised to enhance digitalisation, which afterwards functioned as infrastructures for digital leadership, enhanced monitoring, and a green economy, while also legitimising these developments. Ultimately, I argue that the energy transition in the PRC has a major impact on its (digital) society as the economy changes to a further digitalised economy with the presence...Show moreThe People’s Republic of China (PRC), as the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has embarked on an ambitious energy transition strategy, aiming to reach peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. This ambitious transition is driving the growth of green markets and the expansion of digitalisation. A number of papers address the phenomenon of utilising digital technology to enhance an energy transition. However, not much is known about the impact of the energy transition in the PRC on the digital sphere and the (digital) society. The study finds that the energy transition in the PRC is utilised to enhance digitalisation, which afterwards functioned as infrastructures for digital leadership, enhanced monitoring, and a green economy, while also legitimising these developments. Ultimately, I argue that the energy transition in the PRC has a major impact on its (digital) society as the economy changes to a further digitalised economy with the presence of stronger digital leadership resulting in deeper digital immersion and dependency.Show less

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The geographies of the energy transition in the PRC: and the impact on its (digital) society