A Cooperação Internacional para o Desenvolvimento da China na América Latina nos financiamentos de projetos de energias renováveis: Uma análise à luz das mudanças climáticas

Abstract

In light of the emergency of anthropogenic climate change and the challenges it poses to contemporary forms of social and economic organization, this doctoral thesis investigates how the expansion of Chinese capital flows into renewable energy projects in Latin America is embedded within a broader systemic transition toward cleaner energy matrices. Given the increasingly prominent role of renewable resources in national energy mixes, China’s position as a global leader in renewable energy technologies and investments, and the central role of its banks and funds as major financiers of projects in developing economies, the study argues that China seeks to consolidate its firms at the forefront of global decarbonization by capturing markets and shaping technical standards. Drawing primarily on process tracing as the main methodological approach, and employing content analysis and case studies as secondary research tools, the thesis examines how China’s International Development Cooperation (IDC) in Latin America aligns with the strategic priorities of the Chinese state and whether it offers new opportunities for the region and its participation in global climate change mitigation efforts. The study argues that China’s banking ecosystem is vital to the achievement of the decarbonization goals formulated within the framework of the Conferences of the Parties (COPs); however, it also questions the extent to which China’s new “green” investment and overseas financing guidelines have already produced concrete results in terms of emissions reductions and a transition toward less polluting projects abroad.