John Kerry: China has accelerated green energy transition, rest of world must follow

Former US Secretary of State and climate envoy John Kerry speaks during the COP31 UN Climate Change Conference at the Antalya Expo Center on November 10, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Former US Secretary of State and climate envoy John Kerry has praised China's rapid shift toward clean energy, saying the United States and the rest of the world must follow its lead or risk economic losses and worsening climate impacts, The Guardian reported on Tuesday.

"The only country that has hugely accelerated is China. The rest of the world is stumbling along," Kerry told the newspaper during the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.

He said China had recognized its heavy reliance on imported oil and gas and decided to pursue greater energy independence. Kerry also pointed to the economic benefits of combining renewable energy with storage, describing the global shift toward electrification as unstoppable.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), China accounts for around 85 percent of global solar supply chain production capacity and 80 percent of lithium-ion battery supply chain production capacity. Nearly three-quarters of the world's electric cars were also manufactured in China in 2025.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also praised China's climate efforts during a meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Antalya on Tuesday.

According to Xinhua, Guterres said China had walked the talk in addressing climate change, with its actions consistently going beyond its commitments. As a global leader in renewable energy, China had made substantial contributions to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, he added.

During the meeting, Han highlighted China's targets for non-fossil energy to account for 50 percent of power generation and electricity to make up 35 percent of final energy consumption by 2030.

The meeting took place during COP31, which runs from November 9 to 20 in Antalya. Countries are discussing how to translate climate commitments into concrete action.