The Race for Renewable Energy Domination

Ratified by 144 parties - including the world's largest CO2 emitters (China and the U.S.) - the legitimacy of the Paris Agreement is being threatened. With President Trump due to make an announcement imminently on whether or not he will be withdrawing the U.S.'s signature, this infographic examines one reason this could be a bad idea.

In addition to corporate investment, there is a large amount of money being directed by national governments into renewable energy research and development - each seeking an edge in the race to exert dominance. As our infographic shows, China is leading the way in terms of outright spend, with almost 2 billion dollars invested last year. By looking to the past instead of the future, the U.S. risks handing the advantage to China early on in the game. And it's a game which it will at some point be forced to play.

Figures from the Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2017 report by Frankfurt School – UNEP Collaborating Centre for Climate & Sustainable Energy Finance.