China used to argue that it was unfair for developed countries to lecture as, just as they had in the course of their industrialisation, it had the "right to pollute".
If it had to choose between its economy or its environment, the old orthodoxy used to go, the economy would win every time.
"There are priorities driving Chinese policy makers to move faster than they are used to," says Li Yan, head of climate and energy campaign for Greenpeace East Asia.
"I think that the environmental crisis we're facing right now, especially the air pollution - no-one expected this to be a top political priority four years ago but look at where we are now," she says.
"The issue is shaping energy policy, economic policy and even local agendas in the most polluted regions."
Here, she says, the public simply "cannot bear the air quality the way it is any longer".
China is now the world's biggest investor in renewable energy, particularly in power generation. In fact, the country has seen more than $400bn (£267bn) invested in clean energy in the past 10 years, and is ranked number one in the world in consultancy EY's renewable energy country attractiveness index.
According to Wang Tao, one in every four units of power generated now comes from wind, solar or hydro plants, and a new debate has begun, focusing not on the need to build more renewable energy plants, but on how to best utilise this new and still rapidly growing resource.
"We have to make sure that people have the incentives to continue to invest in these renewables, and also that consumers will be able to know and to choose wisely in terms of what kind of electricity they consume, and also change their behaviour," he says.
And where once everyone spoke about the huge vested interests in China's fossil fuel-powered sectors, many believe the government is starting to take them on.
"In Hubei Province," Li Yan says, "we are observing very bold and firm action to close down the dirtiest fleet of the iron, steel and cement sector, even at the cost of temporary job losses.
"I think that's a painful process, but it's also a demonstration of how important the air pollution agenda is in this region."
The purpose here isn't really to convince. It's to connect, explain and provide context so that there's a better understanding of how it works. Your reasons for moving towards renewables/clean energy are as good as any other. The main thing that drove me to start this was the gagging of scientists at government agencies from communicating directly to the public and congress, freezing of funding, culling of data/information related to climate change and attacks on/censoring of facts by the current administration. The public has to get involved. We cannot do this alone.
