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China's rapid growth over the past twenty years has sparked a surging demand for energy. The Chinese made strenuous efforts to exploit their domestic resources; but growth eventually overwhelmed them and led to rising oil imports. Within the next decade, China's oil imports are expected to grow rapidly and outstrip those of many OECD countries. Gas imports are also projected to increase as China switches to cleaner energy. Aware of its growing dependency on imported energy, China seeks a more prominent position in the existing global system of energy production and trade. Where it can, China seeks to open new connections in global markets. Increasingly, external energy policies are entwined in foreign economic and security policies in general.

Within the foreseeable future, refrigerators will be using 30% less electricity in some countries. Homes in the United States will be emitting 4% less carbon dioxide. Dozens of other common energy-using products will have become cleaner and more energy efficient. And all because of the growing use of energy labels and standards in industrialised countries. Energy labels and standards are only one way in which governments can diminish energy use, improve performance and slash greenhouse gas emissions. But they have proved remarkably effective, and their use is steadily spreading. This report by