China’s Solar Boom Masks Deeper Energy Challenges and Global Risks

China’s headline-grabbing push to build the world’s largest solar farm on the Tibetan plateau appears, at first glance, to signal a breakthrough in the fight against global climate change. Stretching over 610 square kilometers—an area the size of Chicago—the solar installation epitomizes Beijing’s accelerated investment in renewable energy. According to recent data, China’s carbon emissions even edged down by 1% during the first half of 2025 compared to last year, potentially marking a peak in emissions years ahead of schedule. But should Americans accept this narrative at face value? A closer look exposes a far more complicated reality: while China...