Shen Wei

Wei Shen is a Senior Research Fellow at the International Institute of Green Finance, specializing in development finance and international development. His primary focus lies in China’s influence on global low-carbon development and South-South cooperation. He holds a Doctorate in Social Science from the University of East Anglia, UK. Wei Shen’s portfolio includes an impressive array of publications and working papers that highlight his keen research interests. His primary areas of study revolve around low-carbon development and energy transition within the global South, along with an examination of China’s impacts on the realm of international development. Operating as a political economist, he delves into interdisciplinary inquiries concerning Chinese overseas green and climate finance. Beyond these spheres, Wei Shen exhibits a distinct interest in the socio-economic ramifications of the transition towards a low-carbon economy, with a particular concern for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged segments of society. Notably, he currently serves as a lead author for the 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In this role, he bears specific responsibilities for assessing climate policies and institutions in the global South, contributing to Working Group III, Chapter 13 of the report. His noteworthy contributions have graced the pages of esteemed journals, including Energy Policy, Climate Policy, Third World Quarterly, Energy Research & Social Sciences, and Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions.

Publications by Shen Wei:

(1) Chiyemura, F., Shen, W., Burgess, M., Mulugetta, Y., & Wang, Y. (2023). A dynamic institutional analysis of China’s engagement with Africa’s renewable energy market. Environmental Politics, 1-23.

(2) Shen, W., Ayele, S., & Worako, T. K. (2023). The political economy of green industrial policy in Africa: Unpacking the coordination challenges in Ethiopia. Energy Policy, 179, 113633.

(3) Shen, W.; He, J. and Yao, S. (2021) ‘Green Industrial Policy in a Post Grid Parity Era: A Case Study of Integrated Solar Energy and Desertification Prevention Projects (ISEDP) in China’, Energy Policy 150: 112-129

(4) Shen, W. (2020) ‘China’s Role in Africa’s Energy Transition: A Critical Review of its Intensity, Institutions, and Impacts’, Energy Research & Social Science 68. 101578

(5) Shen, W. (2017) ‘Who Drives China’s Renewable Energy Policies? Understanding the Role of Industrial Corporations’, Environmental Development 21: 87-97

(6) Shen, W. (2015) ‘Chinese Business at the Dawn of its Domestic Emissions Trading Scheme: Incentives and Barriers to Participation in Carbon Trading’, Climate Policy 15: 339-354

(7) Shen, W. and Zhou, Z., (2023). Chinese Investments Amid the Energy Crises and Mineral Treasures in Zimbabwe. IIGF/ACF Policy Brief

(8) Shen, W. and Chen, H. (2023). China’s Role in Egypt’s Low-Carbon Energy Transition: From Renewable Energy to Green Hydrogen.

(9) Shen, W. (2022). China’s role in Mekong region’s energy transition: the elephant in and outside the room. In Middleton, C. and Ketelsen, T. (Eds.) (2022). Pathways to a Sustainable and Just Transformation of the Mekong Region’s Electricity Sector

(10) Shen, W., and Ayele, S. (2020) ‘COVID-19 and the African Energy Sector, Applied Research Programme on Energy and Economic Growth’, Insight Paper Series.