Can China Achieve Its Ambitious Climate Pledges?

Videos

Grades9, 10, 11, 12Science, Economics, Civics

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by TED

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What it is

In this Ted Talk, journalist and policy advisor Hongqiao Liu explains China's historical and current rate of carbon emissions, China's recent climate pledges, and the sources of carbon emissions in China that must be addressed.
Students will learn about the feasibility of China meeting the ambitious pledge of becoming a net-zero country by 2060.

Teaching tips

Positives

This video will help students see the nuances of the energy and emissions situations in China.
A full transcript is available in 11 languages.

Additional Prerequisites

Students should be familiar with China's political, demographic, and economic situation.

Differentiation

Social studies or civics classes could compare China's climate goals to the United States' climate pledges. Students could discuss how the two governments have different ways of monitoring, implementing, or encouraging changes in the energy sector.
As a media literacy activity, students could discuss how Hongqiao Liu, as an independent journalist, gives a balanced report concerning China's emissions goals. In small groups, students could discuss how impartial news reports help people to understand both the positive and the negative elements of news stories.
Other resources on this topic include this article and video on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, this climate action tracker that tracks countries' emissions targets, and this ClimateScience course on climate politics.

From the scientist review

This 9-minute TED Talk presents an overview of China's climate goals out to 2060. This resource discusses issues related to China's population, energy generation sources, and industries, and China's objectives for carbon neutrality and emission reductions. As many of the topics discussed in this resource are goals and targets, it is not possible to do fact-checking, but this resource could be a good tool for understanding what climate pledges look like and assessing their probability of success. This resource is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Science, Economics, Civics
Format: Downloadable MP4/M4V
Language: English
Location: Asia
Provider: TED
Authors: Hongqiao Liu
Published: June 7, 2022
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Civ.11.9-12 + 8 more

Core

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

D2.Civ.11.9-12Evaluate multiple procedures for making governmental decisions at the local, state, national, and international levels in terms of the civic purposes achieved.
D2.Civ.13.9-12Evaluate public policies in terms of intended and unintended outcomes, and related consequences.
D2.Civ.6.9-12Critique relationships among governments, civil societies, and economic markets.
D2.Eco.1.9-12Analyze how incentives influence choices that may result in policies with a range of costs and benefits for different groups.
D2.Eco.11.9-12Use economic indicators to analyze the current and future state of the economy.
D2.Eco.13.9-12Explain why advancements in technology and investments in capital goods and human capital increase economic growth and standards of living.

Maine Climate Education Hub

Science and Engineering

HS-ESS3-4Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

Social Studies

Economics(F1): Students understand the principles and processes of personal economics, the role of markets, the economic system of the United States, other economic systems in the world, and how economics serves to inform decisions in the present and future by analyzing the role of financial institutions, the financial markets, and government including fiscal, monetary, and trade policies.
GlobalConnections (F2): Students understand economic aspects of unity and diversity in Maine, the United States, and the world, including Maine Native American communities, by analyzing how resource distribution effects wealth, poverty, and other economic factors.

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