Progress report NO. 1– china: Alternate energy and the global effort

Zhongwei Photovoltaic Industrial Park. Curtailing CO2 emissions while growing economically.

I like Chinese thought
The wisdom that Confucius taught
If Darwin has anything to shout about
The Chinese will survive us without any doubt
​— Monty Python, “I Like Chinese,” 1980



​Who is doing the most to move ahead in energy? Who will be the trendsetter in the alternate energy world to come?
Spoiler alert: It isn’t us.
The recent Climate Change Conference held in Katowice, Poland provides some clues. So does the Paris Agreement, from which our President has ordered America’s withdrawal.
At the conference in Poland, while the representative of the U.S. committee was extolling the virtues of clean coal, he was interrupted by the chuckles of the visiting international scientist and the hissing of the other attendees.
Meanwhile, the Chinese clearly took the lead. China also is taking the initiative to consolidate the Paris Agreement and is working to advance global collaboration. Even though our Katowice Conference representation was “misguided,” China remains committed to working within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. China is hoping that the United States will abide by its accord with the UN’s obligation and principles. We still have the U.S. Climate Alliance, which is willing to work within the framework of its agreement. However, this Alliance represents only a fraction of our nation — 17 states and territories.
The Katowice meeting was to create the roadmap for implementing the Paris Accord of 2015. China wants to participate in the Talanoa (see info box) dialogue, which promotes a free range of ideas on actions, outcomes and challenges in dealing with climate change. It appears that we do not. This is a far cry from our commitment to the Kyoto summit.
China has set many goals in which it plans to grow economically while curtailing CO2 emissions. This is an amazing feat considering the country’s growth rate and ability to fuel that growth while running at that pace. They have the stats to back it up; couple this with the country’s amazing financial growth. The rate of CO2 discharge by China has declined over the last four years. They are setting goals so that by 2030, 50% of the energy created will be produced by non-fossil energy. China is allocating $1.44 trillion to achieve its non-fossil fuel growth.
They have pledged to reduce carbon output of their most energy intense industries such as their ore and specifically their steel production. They have committed to increase their non-fossil fuel based electricity production to 1 billion kilowatts by 2030. This increase is more than the electric power generation of the entire United States.

China, a breath of fresh air
America used to be the leader in everything: landing on the moon, human rights, technology. We were a real progressive entity. Then after President Kennedy’s assassination everything went sideways. Energy is a field that must go forward. It must be sustainable and renewable.
China is economically and morally conscious of this while America’s current leadership is not. This is not the America I used to know. The current leadership’s legacy will be a combination of arrogance, narcissism, and backward digression. This will come at a huge price for the average American.

Who will be the Energy Leader?
In my opinion, it will be China, which, unlike most of the world, has a unique position in history. China is ripe to receive the advanced technology available. The technology for energy production and clean air provisions are already mainstream technology. So China can put these technologies in action right here and now.
To top that off the Chinese have the brains, discipline, and motivation. All those things that America used to have. China too, is breaking out of its past. This forward thinking is what makes a nation truly great. It did for us.

A very brief observation
My understanding of China is that it is a richly advanced, independent, culturally unified nation spanning 5,000 years. Its culture is very advanced in science, government and the arts, though it came at a great cost.
What cost, you ask?
China was comparatively technologically undeveloped going into the early 1990s as per industrialized (or as they say “western”) standards. Its leaders had to make an assessment of its situation in the world and had the determination, sense of responsibility, and vision to move forward. It is a nation of determined and motivated people driven in large measure by national pride, and the country’s improvement speaks for itself.
China also has a plan, and it’s working, but there is always a cost. An example: The Three Gorges Dam, a wonder in itself, rather abruptly displaced 2 million people. Chinese labor conditions are improving, however, and the government is doing more to accommodate its people, other than just issuing orders.

In closing
I believe that we can count on the Chinese to live up to the expectations of the Climate Change Conference. I believe that every developing nation needs to take a cue from them.
The continent of Africa is in dire need of energy, and I hope that African nations will build their infrastructure with China in mind.
My concern is: Can China sustain a model of expansion while curtailing personal freedom? This will be China’s — and the ultimately the world’s — largest conundrum. I do want to make it clear that we Americans still have many freedoms in place. China has let the leash on freedom out a little bit. However, if China wants to maintain its role as a world leader, it will have to let that leash go, maybe entirely.
Technology is moving at an unprecedented pace and unlike the past, the world will someday soon be on the same plain. Will nationalism give way to globalization? Will this change be an inevitable silent revolution?
Time will tell.

---