China makes clean-technology tariffs a COP31 issue

On October 21, Reuters reported that China’s vice minister for ecology and environment said COP31 should address tariffs and other trade restrictions affecting Chinese solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles. He linked the issue to climate cooperation and a previously agreed goal of mobilizing $300 billion a year in climate finance for developing countries. Companies in clean-technology supply chains should expect climate policy and trade-remedy strategy to become more tightly coupled, increasing the importance of origin data, subsidy analysis and alternative sourcing. For counsel, the practical risk is that transition plans may depend on equipment whose price, availability or eligibility changes through tariff or anti-subsidy action.