Now is China's chance to save the world – twice

As the Copenhagen climate summit approaches, all eyes are on China. It is, after all, the world's largest carbon dioxide emitter, and so has a large part to play in righting some of the wrongs inflicted on the Earth's environment. But the size of China's clean technology sector could also play a big part in world economic recovery.

There are immense opportunities – some estimates say the industry could soon be worth up to US$1 trillion a year – and the government has clearly recognised some of this potential. To name only a few examples: power production using wind and solar energy is not only permitted but encouraged in the latest Foreign Investment Industrial Guidance Catalogue; natural gas continues to grow in popularity (China Natural Gas recently completed a US$50 million listing on the Nasdaq global market in the US); and the country is said to be investing between US$440 billion and US$660 billion in its clean energy industries over the next decade.