A comparison between China and the EU’s green industrial policies: strengthening clean energy leadership under the Paris Agreement framework

This thesis examines the intersection of industrial and climate policies, focusing on Green Industrial Policy as a key driver for the global energy transition. The study is guided by the following research question: “To what extent do China and the European Union’s green industrial policies strengthen their leadership in clean energy, and how is this leadership reflected and aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement?”. The study employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating the analysis of primary legislative sources, such as Chinese Five-Year Plans and EU Green Deal regulations, with technical reports and academic literature. The main results highlight a fundamental divergence: while China dominates global supply chains through state coordination and massive production, the EU exerts leadership by establishing global sustainability standards and market mechanisms. The study concludes that these divergent strategies strengthen the respective roles of both actors in the clean energy transition. Although industrial sovereignty creates geopolitical tensions, this "green competition" acts as a vital catalyst, transforming the diplomatic pledges of the Paris Agreement into concrete industrial actions and significantly accelerating the global reduction of renewable technology costs.