Erik Baark
Visiting Scholar, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science; Professor Emeritus, Division of Social Science, Hong Kong University of Science & TechnologyArticles by Erik Baark
Technology
Who steers AI: China’s industrial state vs America’s frontier builders?
As AI ultimately is controlled by people, capital and intentions, understanding the US and China’s different approaches to AI will help to unlock the trajectory of Al development of the future, beyond the rhetoric of an AI “war” or counting who’s winning, says Danish academic Erik Baark.
Erik Baark
14 Apr 2026
Politics
Wanting Greenland: When the strong stop pretending
The US’s desire to have Greenland is deeply unpopular, whether in the US or in Greenland, observes Danish academic Erik Baark. Ultimately, US President Trump’s disregard for international law, treaties or organisations lays bare the US’s reversion to gunboat diplomacy, ushering in a new era of geopolitics of the mighty.
Erik Baark
23 Jan 2026
Economy
Why China’s waste incinerators are running out of trash
As China pushes forward with recycling and zero-waste campaigns, its massive incineration sector faces an unexpected problem: a shortage of trash. Is this a triumph of environmental policy — or a miscalculation in planning?
Erik Baark
17 Oct 2025
Economy
One Big Beautiful Bill: Is Trump’s climate rollback China’s opportunity?
US rollbacks on green technology and clean energy may provide China with more space to make inroads, but the US market will certainly be difficult to reach, and US allies — those that remain so — will fear becoming dependent on China for these crucial technologies. Academic Erik Baark explains.
Erik Baark
21 Jul 2025
Politics
Americans will pay for Trump’s pullback on climate
Trump’s return brings renewed “America First” policies, including withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. While China adopts a “wait-and-see” approach, the cost of climate inaction will likely fall on the American people facing escalating extreme weather events. Academic Erik Baark offers his analysis.
Erik Baark
05 Feb 2025
Technology
Can the West learn from China’s tech instead of decoupling?
China’s capabilities in scientific research and technological innovation are by now on par with or even more advanced than those of the West. Academic Erik Baark asks: if so, should the West intensify access to Chinese science and technology (S&T) to learn from more advanced emerging Chinese S&T?
Erik Baark
27 Dec 2024
Technology
Can China’s centralised reform strategy transform research and innovation?
China’s third plenum in July called for reforms in research and innovation management to enhance new quality productive forces’ efficiency and effectiveness. But how do the leaders plan to secure the funding needed for these ambitious goals? Academic Erik Baark explores this issue.
Erik Baark
29 Aug 2024
Technology
‘New quality productive forces’ to revamp economy: Can China succeed?
In analysing Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun's article on "new quality productive forces", academic Erik Baark notes that the word "quality" between the phrases "new productive forces" and "new quality productive forces" may make all the difference in China's efforts to boost science and technology in achieving high-quality development.
Erik Baark
24 Apr 2024
Politics
China has reasons to smile about the COP28 climate summit
Erik Baark takes stock of China's gains at COP28 in Dubai in December 2023. The status of China in the negotiations was clearly enhanced by the compromise achieved by the US and China with the Sunnylands Statement in November 2023. On the difficult matter of establishing an international consensus on the approach to fossil fuels, China also seems to have found room to manoeuvre in the call for countries to commit to "transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems".
Erik Baark
15 Jan 2024
Politics
Can the US and China solve the climate crisis for us?
US-China pledges to work together on climate action have been all too familiar, throughout times of changing US administrations and tense US-China relations. Even as cajoling each power to take more action has its limits, the greater danger is a global green technology war that punishes the global south.
Erik Baark
04 Oct 2023
Economy
Is China's EV rise a true success?
The EV adventure in China has been successful in some respects, not least with 5.9 million EVs sold on the Chinese market, amounting to 59% of EVs sold globally. However, as a means to reduce climate change, the effort has tended to "put the cart in front of the horse", because EVs are not particularly environmentally friendly without a steady stream of renewable electricity supply. Academic Erik Baark lays out the factors involved.
Erik Baark
07 Sep 2023