【Text by Observers Network, Zhang Jingjuan】On one side, oil company CEOs talk about "enjoying life" in public, but secretly prepare for global warming; on the other side, the popularity of electric two-wheeled transportation on Chinese streets portrays a vivid picture of green travel. This sharp contrast was revealed by Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, a leading UK energy technology company and advocate for renewable energy, at the 2025 "Climate 100" list launch event.

According to The Independent, on the 23rd, the "Climate 100" list aims to honor leaders who have made significant contributions to addressing the worsening climate crisis on different paths. Jackson is among them. He founded Octopus Energy in 2016, which sources most of its energy from renewable sources and invests in wind and solar power.

During his keynote speech, Jackson talked about the future of energy in a rapidly warming world and the role of the fossil fuel industry. He recalled that recently, at an energy industry event, a CEO of an oil company said he "enjoys life," but revealed that his company was secretly preparing for a global temperature rise of 2.75 degrees and a sea level rise of six feet.

This CEO said he asked the other person how he would explain this deadly crisis to his children, and the man remained silent, staring blankly at him.

"He had no answer," Jackson said.

This seemingly distant disaster has already unfolded in Lake Tanganyika, Burundi. A documentary recently produced by Sam Kiley, The Independent's world affairs editor, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, tells how climate change has caused the water level of Lake Tanganyika to rise.

The lake in Southeast Africa has seen its water level rise by six feet over the past 20 years, displacing 100,000 people, causing cholera outbreaks, and increasing political tensions.

Kiley said, "Burundi is ready to face a crisis, and much of it will be ignited by climate change."

The Independent reported that despite the serious situation, Jackson still has confidence in renewable energy driving large-scale electrification globally and replacing fossil fuels.

He compared this crisis to the classic 1980s movie Indiana Jones, where Indiana Jones narrowly avoided rolling stones and poison arrows at the last moment, and slid through a closing stone wall while wearing his cherished hat.

Jackson said, "The treasure is cheap, clean, and abundant energy. But the gate is closing. And the boulder is the forces of politics, populism, and fossil fuel companies that are trying their best to prevent us from moving towards the future."

Jackson, The Independent

In his view, compared to China, the United States and other Western countries are too backward. In China, all two-wheeled vehicles are electric.

By the end of 2024, the number of electric vehicles in society has exceeded 400 million, becoming the most numerous type of transportation in our country. For every 100 trips taken by urban residents, about 30 are completed using two-wheeled transportation.

The "2024 Two-Wheeled Green Travel Research Report" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") shows that the daily carbon emissions reduced by two-wheeled travel nationwide are approximately 10,000 tons. Calculated based on a fuel consumption of 8 liters per 100 kilometers, this is equivalent to saving about 6.6 million liters of gasoline. In 2023, two-wheeled travel reduced carbon emissions by 4.2925 million tons, which translates to an environmental protection cost savings of about 2.6 billion yuan.

From the commuting scenes on the streets to real carbon reduction results, China's "two-wheeled electrification" has become a vivid example of green transformation.

This popularization is not accidental, but rather the result of China's firm strategic determination for a green future. As Jackson said, the Chinese government has seen the future and is vigorously promoting alternatives to fossil fuels in the fields of solar energy and batteries with "remarkable progress." "The future is electric."

Data from the National Energy Administration show that in the first quarter of 2025, new renewable energy installations in China reached 76.75 million kilowatts, an increase of 21% year-on-year, accounting for about 90% of the new installations. Wind and photovoltaic power generation capacity combined reached 1.482 billion kilowatts, historically exceeding the total coal-fired power generation capacity (1.45 billion kilowatts), and will become the norm in the future.

Today, green and low-carbon development has become a trend of the times. China's green production capacity not only strengthens its own energy security barrier but also optimizes the global green industrial chain and supply chain, helping to accelerate the global energy transition.

Zhu Jianlong, vice president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, once said: "China has built the world's largest and most complete new energy industry chain, providing more than 80% of the world's photovoltaic components and 70% of wind power equipment, serving as a stabilizer for the global clean energy production and supply chain."

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