Australia-China links on low-carbon technology transitions

Photo: Piqsels Drone view aerial solaw power renweable energy.
24 November 2021

A team of scholars from The Australian National University (ANU) have received funding for a new research project, which aims to improve understanding of future economic opportunities for Australia in the transition to low emissions technologies.

The National Foundation for Australia-China Relations has awarded research funding to a team of researchers at the Crawford School of Public Policy under the foundation’s competitive grants programme. The work will be led by Dr Jorrit Gosens, Professor Frank Jotzo and Associate Professor Llewelyn Hughes.

The grant is for a collaborative project with research-based bilateral dialogue on low-carbon technology transitions. The focus is on links between the Australian and Chinese economies, the potential for leveraging Australian natural resource endowments, and opportunities for business in the long-term shift to net-zero emissions.

“The project provides a platform for engagement between important stakeholders in Chinese research institutions, business, and other organisations including government agencies, and counterparts in Australia,” Dr Gosens said.

Key stakeholders in Chinese universities, research think tanks and government agencies will be involved in the project, building on established relationships. The Australian business community will be briefed and provided with avenues for input into the project.

“On the Australian side, we will work with selected research partners, and engage with a wide range of businesses”, Associate Professor Hughes said.

The project will establish an Australia-China Low-Carbon Transition Forum. The Forum will provide briefing reports, host a series of hybrid workshops in Australian capital cities, and facilitate bilateral visits of experts and interested parties.  

Research focus

Low-carbon technology transitions is of rapidly rising interest in Australian public policy and business, and also an important theme in China

Australia-China energy and resource value chains and their evolution are important to Australia’s future economic prosperity. Low-carbon transitions open opportunities to establish new energy, resource and processing industries in Australia, based on natural resource endowments.

“While national low-carbon transitions will differ, Australia’s and China’s low-carbon transitions are deeply linked though their systems of energy and resource production and use,” said Professor Jotzo

“It is critical for Australian business, governments and other stakeholders to develop a deep understanding of China’s low-carbon transition.”

This research project is designed to help identify future economic opportunities in a fast-developing field.

Other areas of discussion and analysis the project will cover include steel supply chains and the transition to green steel, trade in energy, hydrogen production and systems, as well as next-generation low-carbon technologies and frameworks for innovation, investment and trade.

Originally published on the Crawford School of Public Policy website.