Should We Do Something If China Isn’t? Laser Talk

Since when does the United States wait for anyone before innovating?

We may have 23% of China’s population [1,2], but we have 2x their GDP [3-5], and the average American still emits a lot more CO2 than the average Chinese citizen [6]. Let’s not forget that China has only been the world’s largest CO2 emitter since 2006, when they passed us [7]. We’re still number 2 [7].

China is the leading producer of solar panels and has invested more in renewable energy than the US and Europe in 2014 [8].

Waiting for China to lead is un-competitive, defeatist, and not in the interests of our economy or our planet.

Skeptic Claims and One-Liners

Carbon Fee Skeptic Claim: Why should we move if China isn’t moving?
One-Liner: China is moving, and is already selling their solar panels back to us.

  1. National Bureau of Statistics of China. “China’s Economy Achieved a Stabilized and Accelerated Development in the Year of 2012”.
  2.  United States Census Bureau. “World Population Clock.”
  3.  “Report for Selected Countries and Subjects”. World Economic Outlook Database, April 2013. International Monetary Fund.
  4. “GDP (current US$)”. World Bank. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  5. “GDP (Official Exchange Rate)”. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  6. “Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions by Nation.” Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC). Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, 2010. Web. 11 Aug. 2013.
  7. “China Now No. 1 in CO2 Emissions; USA in Second Position.” – PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, n.d. Web. 11 Aug. 2013.
  8. “Clean Energy Investment Jumps 16%, Shaking Off Oil’s Drop.” Jan 9, 2015. Bloomberg Business. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-09/clean-energy-investment-jumps-16-on-china-s-support-for-solar