Recently U.S. Trade Secretary Gary Locke and Energy Secretary Steven Chu visited China to work on ways to face climate change and bring green technology from the US to Chinese markets.While there, China and the US announced a joint clean energy research center with bases in both countries to bring scientists together, looking initially at energy efficiency, clean coal technology, and low polluting cars.
Next week, the first US-China strategic dialogue will be held in Washington. Currently, China and other developing nations have refused to agree to compulsory cuts in emissions.Their belief is that it is the responsibility of developed nations because the climate change problems of today come primarily from their actions.
Energy secretary Chustated, “China ... recognizes the serious consequences that they face, as well as the world, if the world—China included—doesn’t start to take aggressive action.”Meanwhile, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang indicated the visit by Locke and Chu had no impact on China’s climate change policy.
This appears to be politics as usual, and although anyone can see that the responsibility for what has led us to this environmental crisis comes from developed countries and not developing countries, it is critical for human kind to embrace this issue from a global perspective.At this point it doesn’t matter which country is responsible, but that we work together locally and globally to take action today.
The world’s growing population dictates that we must cooperate and spend less time pointing fingers..
China does not want to lose their ever-increasing business edge over the West. Understandable, given that just emerged from their feudal period some 50 years ago. So, appealing to their environmental well-intentions will likely result in nada. Instead, the US and Europe need to appeal to the Chinese (and Indian and Brazilian) self-preservation interests by clearly laying out the consequences of doing nothing. Additionally, the West should provide technical assistance but not necessarily monetary assistance.
China does not want to lose their ever-increasing business edge over the West. Understandable, given that just emerged from their feudal period some 50 years ago. So, appealing to their environmental well-intentions will likely result in nada. Instead, the US and Europe need to appeal to the Chinese (and Indian and Brazilian) self-preservation interests by clearly laying out the consequences of doing nothing. Additionally, the West should provide technical assistance but not necessarily monetary assistance.
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