African coal plants funded by Chinese cash raise environmental and social concerns despite 2060 carbon neutrality pledge
In September 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined ambitious plans pledging that China would become carbon neutral by 2060. However, the country’s state-owned firms are investing billions in the coal industry overseas. These investments are not factored into domestic carbon control calculations. Plans to fund hundreds of coal plants abroad, particularly in Africa, are set to produce more emissions than major developed nations, environmentalists warn.