China refuses to cap carbon emissions, blames U.S. for world’s problems

Next month Barack Obama is making a trip to China and originally he’d entertained hopes of convincing China to agree to caps on carbon emissions. That’s not going to happen according to Todd Stern, Obama’s envoy for climate change. China wants the U.S. to make far greater cuts, pointing out that its cumulative emissions are 25% that of the U.S.

Furthermore, China is racing toward renewable technology. It considers caps on carbon emissions unnecessary and a sure-fire way to limit economic growth (something for the U.S. to learn there?). China is demanding a significant financial commitment from the U.S. and other developed countries to “adapt” to global warming. How much of a financial commitment? Oh not a lot, just .5% to 1% of total GDP!

That’s particularly concerning considering China is still building out its infrastructure and is able to choose the technologies it uses to power the economy up front rather than retrofit like the U.S. must. In the meantime no limits on carbon emissions means China is able to race full speed ahead manufacturing green energy products.

Its goal is to produce 15 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. It already is the world's largest producer of solar panels, and it will overtake the U.S. as the top manufacturer of wind turbines this year. According to NPR.

As the world economy shifts toward renewable energy China is positioning itself well to produce the goods necessary to drive that progress. The U.S. already has a weakened manufacturing sector because of longtime outsourcing to China and poor automobile sales in recent years. Without quick action the U.S. may very well lose its edge.

Obama knows that and he was a strong influence in $80 billion the U.S. has committed to invest in clean energy. That investment could lead to technological advancements which we may share with China, but pushing a massive bundle of money toward China looks unlikely. Especially when other developing nations are far more in need.