STORY: U.S. tariff hikes on China's clean energy products put global energy transition at risk: expert
SHOOTING TIME: April 17, 2024
DATELINE: May 20, 2024
LENGTH: 0:01:45
LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain
CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE 1 (Catalan): JORDI SOLE, Spanish climate change expert
2. SOUNDBITE 2 (Catalan): JORDI SOLE, Spanish climate change expert

STORYLINE:

The U.S. has announced new tariffs on a variety of imports from China, including EVs, solar cells and other clean-energy products.

According to a Spanish expert, the tariff hikes have put the global transition to renewable energy at risk.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Catalan): JORDI SOLE, Spanish climate change expert
"By imposing tariffs and trying to be competitive with technologies that are already well-developed, consolidated and relatively cheap in China is risky in terms of the effects it can have on the transition to renewables.
If one country, which could be China, is ahead in this area and has the technology and capacity to supply it globally for a swift and efficient transition, then we should support that and prevent mistrust arising from the rivalry between countries."

The expert explained that China leads in green technology innovation.

He added that protectionist moves against Chinese products will potentially prolong the global green transition period.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Catalan): JORDI SOLE, Spanish climate change expert
"Something the Americans have made clear and that is behind these protectionist measures is that they also want to make these products and export them, and they don't want to be dependent on technology from abroad.
Obviously, China is able to produce at a much lower cost than the West can match, firstly because of the cost of labor but also because there are certain technologies and materials that China is producing directly for itself.
Supposing that other countries, primarily the United States, can eventually reach the level China is at, it means the transition will take longer, and that casts doubt over the quick transition to renewables that we need." 

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Barcelona, Spain.
(XHTV)