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Metaphors & SoundbitesSolutionsHope & StrategiesChina has reduced its carbon intensity by 15%
Metaphors & SoundbitesSolutionsHope & StrategiesChina has reduced its carbon intensity by 15%China has reduced its carbon intensity by 15% Featured
China has succeeded in growing its economy and lifting more people out of poverty, while reducing its CO2 emissions per unit of GDP (carbon intensity) by 15 percent between 2005 and 2011.
Notes: In China, CO2 emissions per unit of GDP - or carbon intensity - fell by 15% between 2005 and 2011, suggesting the world's second-largest economy found less carbon-consuming ways to fuel growth.
Comment: The concept of carbon intensity is helpful in countering ideas like "China is the biggest emitter and they should reduce emissions before we do" or "Other countries aren't doing enough, so why should we?"
In China, half the population does not have access to winter heating and 2 million do not have electricity. The country faces the challenge of extending electricity and heating without increasing carbon emissions too much.
The 15% fall in carbon intensity shows that they are making progress.
Source: International Energy Agency
Image: Winter classroom in China. It's common for children and teachers to wear winter clothing indoors due to lack of heating. DipNote
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Gillian King
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2012-05-27
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byclimatechangecomedian
May 28, 2012
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Thanks for posting this. A friend of mine in Ashland, Oregon, who has lots of business ties to China told me a couple years ago that China is going a lot of good things to address climate change that are just not being reported by the American media. For instance, every citizen in China is required to plant a tree. The first solar producing billionarie lives in China. Also, so many American firms manufacture their products in China. In a sense, America exported its pollution to China. Isn't it time for people to demand that American and other international corporations that manufature their products in China find a way to pollute less and use more renewal energy in China? Just a crazy thought I have.