Posted on 06/07/2009 8:07:06 PM PDT by reaganaut1
For months the United States and China, by far the worlds two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, have been warily circling each other in hopes of breaking a long impasse on global warming policy.
...
As a measure of how far apart the two nations are, China says the United States should reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020. The bill before Congress, which could be further weakened, now calls for less than a 4 percent reduction over that period.
The Chinese have begun to consider a series of unilateral actions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, stepping up production of renewable electricity and increasing the efficiency of their manufacturing, buildings and vehicles. But Beijing insists it will not sacrifice Chinas economy to meet the demands of outsiders, particularly those in the developed world that are responsible for the vast majority of human-caused carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere.
What they are saying right now is, We can do a lot of things, but we dont want to commit to any targets, said Jin Jiaman, executive director of the Global Environmental Institute, based in Beijing, which has helped pave the way for the current talks. They want to preserve their right to develop.
One of Chinas senior climate negotiators, Su Wei, has said that although China will not accept absolute limits on its emissions, officials have begun to consider putting in place domestic targets to significantly reduce the carbon intensity of the countrys heaviest-emitting industries. Under the current official five-year plan, China is trying to reduce the amount of energy emitted per unit of gross domestic product by approximately 20 percent by 2010, a goal it may or may not meet.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
ping
Let’s avoid any unnecessary angst with the ChiComms, and mutually agree that the “impact’ of man-made emissions aren’t worth even a 5 minute discussion.
Sun Tzu didn’t have a quippy saying for enemies who are their own worst enemies, did he? It certainly seems like he understood the concept. Much of Chinese strategic thought can be found by reading ST.
In this case, the West is creating it’s own enemy, and chosing to make itself weaker and more distracted by “fighting” this enemy.
Sun Tzu would see us as creating ghosts, by taking on gases in the air.
For months the United States and China, by far the worlds two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases....???
I thought Micheal Moore and Rosy O’Donald were the two biggest emitters of green house gases!
(I know. I’m mean. Sorry Lord, but sometimes it is just so easy.)
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