Kerry Says US, World Must Follow China's Lead on Green Energy

Former US secretary of state John Kerry told the Guardian that China is leading the world's shift away from fossil fuels and that other nations, including the United States, now need to follow its pace, as the Cop31 climate summit opened in Antalya, Turkey. Kerry said most countries are "stumbling along" on the energy transition while Beijing has "hugely accelerated" its own, according to the Guardian.

What did John Kerry tell the Guardian about China and climate?

Kerry, who served as the Biden administration's climate envoy and earlier as secretary of state, framed China's clean-energy buildout as an economic and strategic advantage rather than only an environmental one. He said countries that fall behind China's pace risk losing out economically, the Guardian reported. The remarks came as delegates at Cop31 debated whether China will finally claim the global climate leadership role it has avoided in past summits.

How much of the world's clean-tech supply comes from China?

The Guardian reported that China's clean-technology exports surpassed $220 billion in 2025 and are expected to grow again this year, making the country simultaneously the world's largest greenhouse-gas emitter and its leading supplier of clean-energy equipment. China accounts for roughly 85% of global solar supply-chain production capacity and about 80% of lithium-ion battery supply-chain capacity, per the Guardian's reporting. Nearly 75% of electric vehicles were manufactured in China in 2025.

Data box

• Clean-tech exports: more than $220 billion in 2025 (Guardian)
• Share of global solar supply-chain capacity: about 85%
• Share of lithium-ion battery supply-chain capacity: about 80%
• Share of EVs manufactured in China in 2025: nearly 75%

These figures describe manufacturing and export capacity rather than domestic emissions, and the Guardian noted China remains the world's largest emitter even as it scales up clean-tech production for both domestic use and export.

What does China's five-year plan say about climate leadership?

China's latest five-year plan, adopted in March 2026, pledged for the first time that the country would "actively participate in and lead global climate governance," the Guardian reported. Cop watchers see Cop31 as an early test of whether that language translates into concrete commitments, since Beijing has historically been reluctant to assume a formal leadership position at UN climate talks.

Why has the US fallen behind, according to Kerry?

Kerry pointed to the Trump administration's approach as a reason the United States has lost ground, telling the Guardian that the US and other nations have fallen behind China's buildout. The Guardian also noted that green energy has become central to China's export-driven economic strategy, helping offset weak domestic consumption even as exports of electric cars — including shipments arriving at docks such as Southampton in the UK — expand into new markets.

What happens next at Cop31?

Negotiators in Antalya are watching for signs of how far China will go in formalizing a leadership role, following through on the five-year plan's language. The Guardian's live coverage is tracking the summit as talks continue.

What to watch

• Whether China announces new emissions or clean-tech targets tied to its five-year plan during Cop31 sessions
• How the US delegation, under the Trump administration, responds to pressure described by Kerry
• Whether clean-tech export figures for 2026 exceed the $220 billion reported for 2025
• Any formal statements from Beijing on "leading global climate governance" beyond the March 2026 plan's wording

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.