China accounted for a staggering 63% of the world’s new renewable energy capacity in 2023, adding a massive 298 gigawatts (GW) out of a global total of 473 GW, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

This rapid progress has sparked debate about whether the world is on track to meet climate goals or if this growth masks a widening gap between developed and developing nations.

While China surges ahead, countries in Africa and other parts of Asia, excluding China, are grappling with a severe lack of investment in renewable energy sources. Data reveals that investment in these regions remains significantly limited, with renewable energy capacity growing at a mere 5% annually since 2018, compared to a global average of 10% and a whopping 16% in China.

Brett Christophers, senior lecturer at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University, cautions that focusing solely on the overall growth of renewables can obscure the fact that China is driving the vast majority of this progress.

“The pace of progress is slowest where the need for growth is greatest,” Christophers warns, emphasizing the need for a realistic interpretation of the data without excessive optimism. He highlights the dangers of relying on a narrative of “rapid global growth in renewable energy capacity.”

Christophers fears this narrative could lead to complacency, hindering efforts to combat climate change. He argues that if economic policies are based on misleading narratives instead of confronting uncomfortable truths, decarbonization will become even more challenging.