Yixian Sun

China and Global Sustainability Transition Outlook 2025: China's emerging leadership in global sustainability governance amid geopolitical turbulence.

📰 We are pleased to share that on the last day of 2025, we published our China & Global Sustainability Transition Outlook 2025

The report is open access and available to read here: researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/publicati...

Global Environmental Politics amid Geopolitical Turbulence Abstract. Over the past decade, three overlapping trends have fundamentally reshaped and now characterize the global geopolitical order: the rise of emerging powers, increasing military conflicts, and...

What do the key trends in international relations mean for the study on global environmental politics?

New overview article in @gepjournal.bsky.social by crack team @yixiansun.bsky.social, @jennifer-clapp.bsky.social, @matpaterson.bsky.social et al.

direct.mit.edu/glep/article...

@matpaterson.bsky.social @trissiawijaya.bsky.social

I was honored to write this @gepjournal.bsky.social article with a stellar group of environmental politics scholars. As we are entering a new geopolitical order, it's important to bring geopolitics fully back into the study of global environmental politics! @jennifer-clapp.bsky.social

Global Environmental Politics amid Geopolitical Turbulence Abstract. Over the past decade, three overlapping trends have fundamentally reshaped and now characterize the global geopolitical order: the rise of emerging powers, increasing military conflicts, and...

Excited this piece with excellent colleagues is now out! We examine implications of geopolitical turbulence in the world for the GEP research agenda @yixiansun.bsky.social @matpaterson.bsky.social
direct.mit.edu/glep/article...

Experts: What to expect from China on energy and climate action in 2026 - Carbon Brief 2026 is an important period for China’s climate policy, amid hints that its emissions could peak and as the government publishes targets for the next 5 years

NEW – Experts: What to expect from China on energy and climate action in 2026 | @anikanpatel.carbonbrief.org

Read here: buff.ly/tz4Yyyg

@profjulietlu.bsky.social @jessicadicarlo.bsky.social

🔔 New #OpenAccess Analysis in #JCCA Journal of Current Chinese Affairs

@giga-hamburg.de @sagepub.com

Harlan et al. call for new approaches to engaging China’s aspiration to become a global environmental leader, while asserting clear expectations and responsibilities.

doi.org/10.1177/1868...

SGAIN's research on China and Global Sustainability Transition The Sustainability Governance of China's Global Infrastructure Investments (SGAIN) is a £1.7 million UKRI-funded research project led by Dr Yixian…

📽️ Our “China and Global Sustainability Transition” Conference Video Is Now Live! vimeo.com/1134543531

In June, we brought together leading experts for an international conference exploring pathways for constructive engagement with China to accelerate global sustainability transition.

From Solar Boom to Green Industrialization: Policy Pathways to Localizing Solar Value Chains in Pakistan

🔔 New Policy Report - From Solar Boom to Green Industrialization: Policy Pathways to Localizing Solar Value Chains in Pakistan

We are excited to share our first policy report, written in partnership with @sdpipakistan.bsky.social, available to read now: doi.org/10.15125/bat...

📊 Launch of the Earth System Governance Data Directory

A living and collaborative open-access resource to help researchers and practitioners find and share existing and upcoming datasets relevant to global environmental governance.

🔗 www.earthsystemgovernance.org/news/launch-...

In late July, team member Yuen Gu conducted field research with the UGM team in Indonesia to study the impacts of large-scale renewable energy projects contracted to Chinese companies. The fieldwork focused on two flagship sites: Karawang 100MW Solar Park, and Cirata 145 MW Floating Solar Plant.

Q&A: Will China and the BRICS fill the ‘leadership gap’ on climate change? - Carbon Brief Amid a rapidly fracturing geopolitical order, there have been growing calls for China to “step into [the] leadership gap” left by the US on climate change.

Read the article here: www.carbonbrief.org/qa-will-chin...

Featuring excellent insights from @katelogan.bsky.social @jamesnorman.bsky.social @yixiansun.bsky.social and others!

Between 15-23 August @yixiansun.bsky.social had a productive visit in South Africa.
In Johannesburg, Yixian attended the Transformations Community/Earth System Governance Conference, where he presented our CGEL database, as well as a book chapter on the future of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Honored to be part of this important book on climate politics! My chapter with Wei Shen @joannalewis.bsky.social shows how China has managed conflicts for policy stability.

Thanks for the leadership of Paul Tobin @matpaterson.bsky.social @stacydvandeveer.bsky.social! The whole book is open access.

I had an interesting conversation with @jfmorin.bsky.social and @cyncouette.bsky.social about their research on the governance of orbital debris. Please watch this video to find out more!

This is an exciting initiative of @esgproject.bsky.social to develop a useful resource for researchers and practitioners of environmental governance. If you have created or are creating an environmental governance-related dataset/database, please join us by sharing the info of your dataset/datsbase!

We argue that China's transition will hit a wall unless it 1) makes a serious plan for a just transition domestically, 2) has a more effective long-term strategy for how to operate as an electro superpower

China's astounding ability to build and deploy renewables, batteries, and EVs is perhaps the brightest spark in the global fight against climate change.

But @yixiansun.bsky.social and I ask what would it really take for China to lead www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/02/07/2...

The Bath Conference on China & Global Sustainability Transition is underway. Hosted by the University, the conference brings over 60 experts from more than 15 countries to explore how China can play a pivotal role in addressing the global sustainability transition.

bit.ly/4kM0zdU

World leading experts from across the globe discuss role of China in #sustainability #governance.

Led by @yixiansun.bsky.social, and co-organised by @bath-iscc.bsky.social and ‪@dialogueearth.bsky.social‬, the aim is to identify pathways for engaging #China in a global sustainability transition.

We look forward to welcoming participants in our Bath conference on China and Global Sustainability Transition starting on June 24th sgain.org/bath-confere.... The event will gather leading experts around the world to identify pathways to better engaging with China for accelerating green transition!

Later this month, the Conference on China and Global Sustainability Transition will take place in Bath, in partnership with the @bath-iscc.bsky.social and @dialogueearth.bsky.social. We are pleased to now share our official brochure, including a full programme of events.

It was a lovely workshop @gvagrad.bsky.social. Thank you James for organizing it!

On 21-27 April @yixiansun.bsky.social visited China to share our work at multiple events and engage with various partners. Yixian gave talks on his book project on China’s green soft power and introduced our China’s Global Environmental Leadership Database at multiple universities.

Ahead of an international conference led by the University of Bath, academic Dr Yixian Sun calls on China to seize its unique opportunity to lead on global climate action.

#China #ClimateCrisis #ClimateSky

www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...

We're excited to share this new article by @yixiansun.bsky.social ahead of our China and Global Sustainability Transition conference later this year.
His insights set the stage for an event that will unite global experts to overcome barriers for understanding China and sustainable development.

The world needs climate change leadership – it’s time for China to step up How Beijing can protect global climate governance from Trump’s ‘America first’ strategy.

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently reiterated China's commitment to climate action. Under Trump 2.0, China may be poised to fill a leadership gap in global climate governance. Here are my thoughts on what China needs to do if it wants to become a climate leader theconversation.com/the-world-ne...

Dr Yixian Sun argues #China can lead global #climateaction as the US retreats and Europe faces security challenges. His upcoming conference at @uniofbath.bsky.social (June 24-25) will gather experts to discuss China's role in a global #sustainability transition.

www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...

Unpacking China’s climate policy mixes shows a disconnect between policy density and intensity in the post-Paris era - npj Climate Action npj Climate Action - Unpacking China’s climate policy mixes shows a disconnect between policy density and intensity in the post-Paris era

New open access publication in @natureneon.bsky.social's njp Climate action on China's Climate policy mixes. We assessed 358 national climate-related policies adopted in 2016-2022 and found discrepancies between policy density and policy intensity!
www.nature.com/articles/s44...