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Break out the coal, boys. It's not like the US is in any way trying to be green. Honestly, China is Earth's best shot at climate change.

usrn 4y ago
China is 1) Not self sufficient, they have to import food from the US 2) Burning nearly a million more cubic feet of coal per capita than the US does (and they have way more people, so that means they're really burning far far more coal) Honestly I'm not sure how you thought that made any sense. EDIT: (out of comment quota) >China also installs more renewables than anyone else I'm sure that's great for the companies producing those, I'm not convinced that will lead to them burning less coal (although their coming demographic collapse almost certainly will.) Germany was in a pretty similar situation too and the current situation is the consequence.
- theplumber 4y ago
  China also installs more renewables than anyone else
- bilbo0s 4y ago
  China imports food from the US. China does not have to import food from the US. In all honesty, China and the US are unique nations in that they don't have to import anything from anyone. It's politically and financially convenient for them to import the things they import, so they do. But they are both perfectly capable of meeting their own needs with domestic production if the issue is pressed. Even where they don't currently manufacture a thing, they're both able to ramp up manufacturing of that thing in a timeframe unthinkable for other nations.
aftbit 4y ago
Oh yea, China who emitted 2x as much CO2 in 2017 as they did in 2005, vs the US who has been flat since 1990[1]. China who is operating 1100 coal plants vs the US who is operating 240[2]. Sure, China's growing their economy, and they have ~4x as many people as the US, but they are not some bastion of clean green energy or anything. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_di... 2: https://www.statista.com/statistics/859266/number-of-coal-power-plants-by-country/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/859266/number-of-coal-po...

usrn 4y ago

China is 1) Not self sufficient, they have to import food from the US 2) Burning nearly a million more cubic feet of coal per capita than the US does (and they have way more people, so that means they're really burning far far more coal) Honestly I'm not sure how you thought that made any sense. EDIT: (out of comment quota) >China also installs more renewables than anyone else I'm sure that's great for the companies producing those, I'm not convinced that will lead to them burning less coal (although their coming demographic collapse almost certainly will.) Germany was in a pretty similar situation too and the current situation is the consequence.

theplumber 4y ago
China also installs more renewables than anyone else
bilbo0s 4y ago
China imports food from the US. China does not have to import food from the US. In all honesty, China and the US are unique nations in that they don't have to import anything from anyone. It's politically and financially convenient for them to import the things they import, so they do. But they are both perfectly capable of meeting their own needs with domestic production if the issue is pressed. Even where they don't currently manufacture a thing, they're both able to ramp up manufacturing of that thing in a timeframe unthinkable for other nations.

aftbit 4y ago

Oh yea, China who emitted 2x as much CO2 in 2017 as they did in 2005, vs the US who has been flat since 1990[1]. China who is operating 1100 coal plants vs the US who is operating 240[2]. Sure, China's growing their economy, and they have ~4x as many people as the US, but they are not some bastion of clean green energy or anything. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_di... 2: https://www.statista.com/statistics/859266/number-of-coal-power-plants-by-country/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/859266/number-of-coal-po...