Al Gore on China’s climate rise: ‘I would not have seen this coming’

Twenty-five years ago, Al Gore, then a U.S. presidential candidate, envisioned America as the leader in global climate action. However, he now acknowledges that China’s rise as the dominant force in the energy transition was unforeseen. Gore expresses a pragmatic view, celebrating China’s leadership in sustainability while lamenting America’s retreat from consistent climate policy. He emphasizes that the planet’s well-being matters more than which country leads, but regrets the lost opportunity for American innovation to accelerate global progress. Gore and Lila Preston of Generation Investment Management discuss in detail the shifts in global energy investment, noting that since the Paris Agreement, funding has swung from fossil fuels to renewables, with 65% now going to clean energy. Despite setbacks in U.S. policy, particularly during the Trump administration, the global momentum toward sustainability continues. China is described as the world’s first “electro state,” rapidly expanding solar capacity and managing energy challenges like drought-induced hydroelectric shortfalls by balancing coal use. The conversation