China accounts for nearly half of all deep decarbonization industrial facilities worldwide that have reached a final investment decision or are currently operating, according to a report by the non-profit Mission Possible Partnership (MPP) cited by Yonhap Infomax.
The world’s largest carbon emitter has quietly built a commanding lead in the manufacturing decarbonization sector.
MPP’s Global Project Tracker report shows that out of 189 deep decarbonization industrial facilities globally, 93 are located in China. That figure represents 49 percent of the worldwide total.
New investment data reveals an even wider gap. Between November of last year and October of this year, global green industrial projects reaching a final investment decision hit a record 36. Out of those, 23 projects—or 64 percent—were in China.
China secured 45 billion dollars in clean industrial investments during that twelve-month span. The country now controls over 90 percent of the world’s clean methanol production capacity and more than 40 percent of its clean aluminum production capability.
| Clean Industrial Sector | China’s Share / Active Projects |
|---|---|
| Clean Methanol Capacity | Over 90% of global total |
| Clean Aluminum Capacity | Over 40% of global total |
| New Investment Decisions (Nov-Oct) | 23 out of 36 global projects |
| Total New Investment Secured | 45 billion dollars |
Out of the 23 newly greenlit ventures, 12 involved clean methanol, six focused on aviation fuel, and three targeted ammonia production, alongside one steel and one aluminum project.
The country’s economic planners initiated this trajectory back in 2021 with the 14th Five-Year Plan. That framework actively prioritized green industries and transportation networks while expanding the domestic market for alternative fuels.
Expanding the national emissions trading scheme to cover heavy sectors like steel, cement, and aluminum further accelerated domestic production of low-carbon metals. Seventeen aluminum smelters running on renewable electricity currently operate across the country, with two more under construction.
Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, Paraguay, and Brazil—often designated as a new industrial “sunbelt”—secured 5.3 billion dollars across six clean industrial projects over the past year. That figure edged past the 4.8 billion dollars invested across developed economies during the same period, according to MPP data.
Translating announced projects into functional, operational physical plants remains a steep operational hurdle worldwide. Across 70 countries, 838 deep decarbonization projects remain in development with unconfirmed potential investments totaling 4.8 trillion dollars, including necessary renewable energy and storage equipment.
“Resources-rich countries are turning their natural endowments into factories, jobs, and revenues,” said Faustine Delasalle, chief executive officer at MPP. “Now the challenge is scale and speed.”
