The Big Reveal in China’s New Five-Year Plan

The Big Reveal in China’s New Five-Year Plan

From Shift Key with Robinson Meyer by Heatmap News

March 20, 2026 · 48 min · Season 3 · Episode 37

About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of China's new Five-Year Plan on climate goals and energy strategy.

The new draft of China’s five year plan is here, and the news isn’t all good for climate advocates. Although China vows to expand its gigantic “clean energy bases” in the plan, it has actually walked back some of its biggest climate goals since 2021. The new plan also contains a mysterious — and politically convenient — change to one of its most important emissions estimates. On this episode of Shift Key, Rob is joined by  Lauri Myllyvirta , the lead analyst and co-founder of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and one of the world’s top experts on Chinese emissions outside China. Rob and Lauri discuss whether China is creating a new kind of energy hegemony, what really drives the country’s energy strategy, and how the new war in Iran could affect its plans. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap News. You can find a full transcript of the episode here . Mentioned: Previously on Shift Key:  Have China’s Emissions Already Peaked? China’s 15th Five-Year Plan — Implications for climate and energy transition , by Lauri Myllyvirta and Belinda Schäpe China Can’t Decide If It Wants to Be the World’s First ‘Electrostate’…

People in this episode

Host: Robinson Meyer

Guest: Lauri Myllyvirta

Topics covered

  • China's Five-Year Plan
  • climate goals
  • clean energy
  • energy strategy
  • emissions estimates
  • Iran conflict

Keywords

  • China
  • Five-Year Plan
  • clean energy
  • emissions
  • climate change
  • energy hegemony
  • Iran

Sponsors

Yale

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, Heatmap News

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