Rhodium Group is an independent research provider, combining policy expertise and data-driven analysis to help decision-makers navigate global challenges.
NEW: In our preliminary assessment of the Inflation Reduction Act, we estimate it can reduce net US greenhouse gas emissions to 31-44% below 2005 levels by 2030, compared to 24-35% under current policy.
Based on our newly updated estimates for 2019, global emissions reached 52 gigatons of CO2e in 2019, an 11.4% increase over the past decade. China alone contributed 27% of total global emissions, and the US—the 2nd highest emitter—contributed 11%. 1/5
In the past, Chinese companies struggled to compete with highly specialized German machinery companies, manufacturers of ICE vehicles, and producers of specialized chemicals.
But that's now changing:
If you look past the headline GDP numbers, there are plenty of smaller, more granular datasets that allow analysts to check the math.
Based on that, a realistic growth figure for China in 2023 is probably closer to 1.5%.
Read how we got there:
China’s economy grew around 5.2% in 2023, surpassing the government’s official growth target for the year without relying on “massive stimulus,” Chinese Premier Li Qiang says in Davos
We've taken an initial look at the climate and clean energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act announced today. Based on some of our previous work: (1/4)
China used to be one of the top five investors in the United States. Over the past few years though, Chinese FDI in the US has dwindled to levels lower than smaller countries like Norway and Spain.
In 2019, for the first time, China’s annual emissions exceeded those of all developed countries combined. China’s emissions were less than a quarter of developed country emissions in 1990, but over the past 3 decades have more than tripled, reaching over 14 gigatons of CO2e. 2/5
While we are still analyzing the full text, the deal includes a long-term extension of clean energy tax credits in line with what we’ve previously modeled, which means it could plausibly put the US on track to reduce emissions by 40% in 2030 (3/4)
The package has the potential to be the biggest climate action ever taken by Congress. If Congress acts quickly to pass it, swift addt'l action from executive agencies and states can put the US’s target of cutting emissions by 50-52% by 2030 within reach
Household debt in China now totals 128% of income. Credit card debt in China now exceeds US levels in absolute terms. Fallout from COVID-19 threatens to intensify these household borrowing risks, with implications for China's economic recovery
The nature of Chinese investment in Europe is changing, with M&A down significantly from the peak in 2016 but investment in startups and greenfield projects at a record high. A brief thread with the highlights of our latest report with
@merics_eu
...
US coal-fired power generation fell by 18% in 2019. That’s the largest year-on-year decline in recorded history, w coal generation now at its lowest level since 1975. It also marks the end of a decade in which total US coal generation was cut in half. New:
New analysis: Local-level credit events in China are piling up, and evidence of broader stress across China’s financial system is accumulating. Many cities are facing pressure, which will limit the effectiveness of counter-cyclical stimulus measures
The Inflation Reduction Act can reduce US net greenhouse gas emissions to 31-44% below 2005 levels by 2030, compared to 24-35% under current policy. 1/4
Our in-depth, updated assessment of the final climate and clean energy provisions in the just-passed Inflation Reduction Act finds emissions will fall to 32-42% below 2005 levels in 2030, compared to 24-35% without the IRA. 1/12
Our recent analysis finds potential new federal clean energy investments can on net create over 600,000 jobs/year in 2022-2031. Job gains in clean generation, storage & transmission are 8x larger than those lost in fossil generation & upstream fuel supply
"Either Beijing misjudged Putin and the effect his attack on Ukraine would have on Western resolve, or it judged that the long-term benefits of this conflict would outweigh the short-term risks" - Rhodium's
@noahbarkin
to
@ReidStan
@RFERL
Our new report with
@merics_eu
looking at Chinese FDI in the EU+UK is out. It shows Chinese investments slumped 45% to a 10-year low of 6.5 bn euros in 2020, hit by COVID-19 restrictions, Chinese capital controls & regulatory hurdles in the EU. (thread)
Our preliminary assessment of the Inflation Reduction Act finds that it can achieve a 31-44% cut in emissions by 2030, compared to 24-35% under current policy. The range reflects uncertainty around future fossil fuel prices, economic growth, and technology costs. 1/4
New: In our annually updated outlook for US emissions under current federal and state policy, we find that the US is on track to reduce emissions 24-35% below 2005 levels by 2030, absent any additional new policy—falling short of the 50-52% 2030 target.
"Many observers think China's model of authoritarian capitalism is unstoppable. That is not the case"
@MrKRudd
&
@RhodiumDan
look at China's reform progress under Xi and find it wanting
@NikkeiAsia
@AsiaPolicy
China is investing billions to create a leading edge semiconductor ecosystem. But can it wriggle free of its chip chokepoints? Rhodium's
@jordanschnyc
says China's chip industry may be running faster and still falling behind
Logan Wright, director of China markets research at Rhodium Group, has been closely following the crisis around Evergrande & China's property sector. Below are some of his thoughts on the current turmoil (1/8) THREAD
For starts, our estimate for China's GDP growth in 2023 was in the range of 1.5%.
For ease of comparison, here's what we estimated contributions to be from particular parts of the economy, compared to the official numbers:
In the latest from
@business
, our growth estimate for China in 2023 was described as "at the low end of a broad scale," compared to other independent estimates.
So, a few charts that illustrate how we got there. 🧵
We are seeing signs of stress in China’s credit markets, with SOEs, companies linked to local govts & some highly rated firms defaulting on their bonds. Below a thread from Rhodium’s Logan Wright, who sees an erosion in the credibility of local govts w/broader implications 1/9
Another interesting trend: Chinese investment in European startups more than doubled in 2021 to hit a record high of 1.2 billion euros. It was concentrated in the UK and Germany, and focused on sectors including e-commerce, fintech, gaming, AI and robotics
Last week, Honda announced a commitment to 100% zero-emission vehicle sales in the US by 2040, joining Jaguar, Volvo & GM in 100% ZEV commitments. When combined with Tesla, our analysis shows the market share of automakers committed to an all-electric future in the US is now 29%.
In our latest note, we consider how China's policy plans will compound the growing issue of overcapacity in China, setting Beijing on a course for trade confrontation with the rest of the world.
A quick thread:
From our new in-depth assessment: The Inflation Reduction Act helps cut emissions to 32-42% below 2005 levels in 2030, with the biggest reductions by far in the electric power sector.
There is enough empty property in China to house over 90 million people (more than the entire population of Germany) - Logan Wright tells
@JKynge
. See his must/big-read on Evergrande in the
@FT
New: We estimate that US net GHG emissions fell by 2.1% in 2019, after a sharp uptick in 2018. The decline is due almost entirely to an 18% drop in coal-fired power generation, to its lowest level in decades. There was little progress elsewhere.
China’s history as a major emitter is relatively short compared to developed countries, many of which had more than a century head start. Since 1750, members of the OECD bloc have emitted four times more CO2 on a cumulative basis than China. 4/5
Faced with growing geopolitical headwinds, Beijing has doubled down on its ambition to become a more self-reliant global technological powerhouse.
But slowing economic growth in China could rein in those ambitions.
A short thread looking at how and why.
(1/9)
Consensus expectations for China's economy do not fully reflect the weakness that looms, both this year and in subsequent years, Rhodium's Logan Wright argues in his new note: "Rethinking China's Economic Future". Check it out below
State-led climate policy can play a vital role in putting the US on track for net-zero emissions. In new analysis, we assess the emissions impacts of two landmark California-led clean transportation agreements.
Without new policy, the US will fall significantly short of its 2030 climate target under the Paris Agreement, which is what's required to avert the worst impacts of climate change. Nor does the US meet the target later in 2035. 1/3
Over the past two decades, the UK has attracted far more Chinese FDI than any other European country at 79.6 billion euros. Next come Germany at 30.1 billion, Italy at 16 billion & France at 15.7 billion /END
New from our China Markets Research team: Following
#BaoshangBank
seizure, Beijing’s dilemma between financial reform and financial stability is clearly in view. What is currently preventing a larger credit crunch?
China’s 2019 per capita emissions reached 10.1 tons, nearly tripling over the past two decades. This comes in just below avg levels across the OECD bloc (10.5 tons), but still significantly lower than the US, which has the highest per capita emissions at 17.6 tons 3/5
Rhodium's Daniel Rosen and Logan Wright argue in
@ForeignAffairs
that China's current policies will inevitably lead to trade conflict—and not just with advanced economies.
Read the piece:
“Beijing’s aggressive crackdown in Hong Kong came as a shock to many capitals, including Berlin, where momentum is now building against Huawei’s inclusion in the German 5G network. It is in the process of losing Europe"
@noahbarkin
tells
@SCMPNews
One year after the Inflation Reduction Act became law, its effects on future US decarbonization are becoming clearer. We've updated our outlook for US emissions, finding a 29-42% reduction below 2005 levels in 2030. 🧵
"The significance of these shifts in investment is that multinational companies’ real economic engagement in China may already be declining significantly, well before more active efforts from these firms to reduce their exposure."
An unprecedented expansion of credit has fuelled China's economy for decades. Now credit growth is under pressure, with major implications for the broader economic outlook. See our new note from Logan Wright - "The End of China's Magical Credit Machine"
We maintain a database tracking China's overseas debt renegotiations. We estimate the total amount of sovereign debt under negotiation since 2020—a mix of principal and deferred income—is over $78 billion.
US electric power sector emissions decreased by ~10% in 2019, a big change from a 1.2% increase in 2018. Unfortunately there was little progress in transportation, industry, buildings, or other sectors. Our new estimates for total US GHG emissions in 2019
"China’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 surpassed those of the United States and the developed world combined, according to an analysis published Thursday by the research firm Rhodium Group." via
@StevenMufson
@brady_dennis
@washingtonpost
What does the departure of Angela Merkel mean for German & European China policy? Check out our new note on the looming German election, including coalition scenarios & what they mean for Berlin's positioning vis-à-vis Beijing
Our new analysis finds a robust, long-term spending package can make meaningful progress on US electric power emission reductions. It gets emissions on a straight-line path to zero at least through 2025, and by 2031 emissions are 66-74% below 2005 levels.
Thanks to the IRA, the US is on track to cut emissions 40% below the all-time high by 2030. In order to make its Paris goal, the US must find an extra 10 percentage points of emissions cuts, and quickly.
@robinsonmeyer
@heatmapsocial
on our latest report
China's policy plans will compound the growing imbalance between domestic supply and demand, setting China on course for a trade confrontation with the rest of the world.
What does the end of zero-COVID mean for China's growth trajectory in 2023 and beyond? Our new note breaks down the GDP components and finds that a robust economic recovery is not is not on the horizon.
What is the primary reason that there has been no meaningful fiscal support for China’s recovery this year? The weakness of local government's finances. Read our latest note:
New: The IRA accelerates the pace of US decarbonization, but the US will need to move even faster to cut emissions in half by 2030.
We provide a framework for priorities under the IRA as well as additional policy actions to put the 2030 target in reach
From the executive order: "According to Rhodium, rising temps and sea levels in New Jersey has significantly increased economic risk, w an est $60 bn worth of homes and buildings facing increased risk of flooding from hurricanes" Explore our analysis:
New Jersey will become the first U.S. state to require builders to take into account the impact of climate change, including rising sea levels, in order to win government approval for projects
Lastly, after years of an expanding trade surplus contributing to China’s GDP growth, net exports contracted this year as China’s services imports, particularly tourism, resumed.
"Total bank assets in China have risen 4.5x since 2008 to $41.8tn at the end of 2019, equivalent to ~half of global GDP, according to Rhodium Group. By contrast, Chinese GDP has increased 3x, meaning much of China’s stellar decade of growth has been borrowed rather than bought"
Can the US and Europe get on the same page in responding to China?
@NoahBarkin
&
@AgathaKratz
lay out five areas where both sides will have to move to make transatlantic cooperation work
Investment in clean technologies is continuing at record levels in the US, as demonstrated by new data from Q3 2023. Actual clean energy and transport investment in the US reached a record $64 billion in Q3 2023—an 8% increase from Q2 and a 42%increase year-on-year
Where did China's investments in the EV supply chain go last year?
Roughly a quarter of it went to the MENA region, specifically Morocco. The country's free trade agreements with the US and EU have made it an attractive investment locale.
Our new China Pathfinder report with
@ACGeoEcon
looks at how China has performed against open market economies in 6 key areas: financial system; competition; innovation; trade; direct investment; and portfolio investment (1/5)🧵
In motor vehicles, China is catching up quickly, and in exports of advanced manufacturing goods, China has already surpassed Germany.
This could reinforce the view of China in Germany as a source of unfair competition that is undermining German jobs and prosperity.
Our in-depth, updated assessment of the final climate and clean energy provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act finds emissions will fall to 32-42% below 2005 levels in 2030, compared to 24-35% without the IRA.
Last week, New York became the 3rd state to commit to 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. Together with California and Massachusetts, this increases US ZEV sales to 38% in 2035.
Will Beijing try to stem the turmoil? Bailouts for firms as large as Evergrande are complicated. And this would not fit with Beijing's "common prosperity" message. For now, the political priority will be protecting homeowners over investors. (8/8) END
For investment's contribution to growth, the headline story of last year was a continued contraction in the property sector. At its peak, property represented nearly a quarter of all activity in China, but it has severely contracted since then.
In sum, 2023 started with a great deal of optimism for an economic rebound. But despite the abundant evidence that the recovery was falling short of expectations, Beijing has kept insisting that the economy is still on track.
Read our full analysis:
Put simply, IRA has the potential to be the biggest climate action ever taken by Congress, and swift additional action from federal agencies and states can help put the 2030 target of a 50-52% cut in emissions within reach. 4/4
Rhodium's
@noahbarkin
explains in
@TheAtlantic
how Russia's invasion of Ukraine could transform the cost-benefit equation in Germany & Europe when it comes to engagement with systemic competitors like China
Today we are launching our China Pathfinder project with
@ACGeoEcon
- an annual scorecard of how China is developing compared to leading market economies. Join our launch event at 9am ET
To register:
To the report:
The consequences of the Evergrande crisis for China’s property sector and the broader economy have the potential to fundamentally change views of China’s economy and the 'inevitable rise' narrative. (2/8)
In the case of a major escalation in the Taiwan Strait, G7 leaders have a toolbox of economic countermeasures that have been used before against Russia: (1/2)
On consumption, there are important distinctions to make about the kinds of savings Chinese consumers had in 2023, but one reason consumption was weak is that Chinese households were actually deleveraging, rather than splurging.
The array of clean energy tax credits has the greatest impact on emissions. We find that the oil & gas leasing provisions have a negligible impact on emissions, and are far outweighed by emissions reductions from clean energy, clean vehicle, and energy efficiency deployment. 2/4
A side effect of rate cuts by China's central bank: Companies are borrowing in short-term markets and redepositing the money in banks. A 5th of China's corporate lending is now in such arbitrage investments
@rhodium_group
estimates
@anjani_trivedi
We’re hiring a communications manager to expand the reach and influence of our independent research on the market impact of energy and environmental policy & the economic risks of global climate change. Details:
New data released today by
@FirstStreetFdn
discloses the flood risk for all 142 million homes and properties in the US. Rhodium Group and our research partners at
@impact_lab
helped create the model
In his new note "The Biden-Trump China Toughfest" founding partner
@RhodiumDan
looks at US strategy on China & offers some advice for the presidential candidates
Although Beijing has rolled out the rhetorical welcome mat for foreign investors, it hasn't offered a similarly convincing shift in policy. Read the latest update to our China Pathfinder study in partnership with
@ACGeoEcon
:
Scale-up of direct air capture tech could create at least 300,000 new jobs in the construction, engineering, and equipment manufacturing sectors. Cement and steel jobs could increase by at least 50% from current levels. New analysis:
The property sector is estimated to represent 20-25% of China's economy and 30-35% of total bank credit. If the property market is in a meaningful downturn, the real economy is sure to follow, as we saw in 2014. (6/8)