China tops UN-sponsored list for renewable energy industry

China is the investment country leader in the renewable energy industry, the Global Status Report of the UN-backed Renewable Energy Policy network for the 21st Century (REN21) showed Tuesday.

Key findings of the report were released on the eve of the full report's formal launch Wednesday at the UN-hosted Sustainable Energy for All conference.

By the end of 2013, China, the United States, Brazil, Canada, and Germany remained the top countries by total installed renewable power capacity, according to the report's Executive Summary.

"China's new renewable power capacity in 2013 surpassed new fossil fuel and nuclear capacity for the first time and this for me is really an amazing example showing how quickly a country can change its energy policy and really make progress in renewable deployment," said Christine Lins, REN21 executive secretary, at a press conference.

"I think those of us who have been in the sector for a while were really all amazed by the progress China has been making in that respect."