Notably, China, as of January 2021, had committed five times more money to clean energy than to fossil fuels.
Despite these accomplishments, more must be done. At the national level, for example, government subsidies should go toward sustainable transport systems instead of fossil fuels. The Energy Policy Tracker provides up-to-date information about policy responses to COVID-19 from a climate and energy perspective and tracks public financing for energy in recovery packages. However, it shows that 30 major economies still pledged around USD 268 billion to fossil fuels, 47% of all public money committed to energy-intensive sectors compared to 35% for clean energy. Notably, China, as of January 2021, had committed five times more money to clean energy than to fossil fuels. China, which prioritized electrification of its public transit with subsidies and national regulations, has more than 400,000 electric buses, about 99% of the world’s total (Margolis, 2019). The multitude and breadth of innovations is encouraging for the future of sustainable transport. Electric vehicles could further expand with the addition of charging stations. However, many developing countries still need access to reliable electricity sources for this low-carbon option to really take off.