China Outpaces U.S. on Clean Energy

A common expression of concern about the U.S. supporting treaties to abate global warming comes in the assertion that the U.S. would be taking such steps while other large nations would not be so bound.

Photo: Ariana Lindquist for The New York Times

The New York Times reports:

"As the United States takes its first steps toward mandating that power companies generate more electricity from renewable sources, China already has a similar requirement and is investing billions to remake itself into a green energy superpower.

Through a combination of carrots and sticks, Beijing is starting to change how this country generates energy. Although coal remains the biggest energy source and is almost certain to stay that way, the rise of renewable energy, especially wind power, is helping to slow China’s steep growth in emissions of global warming gases. This year China is on track to pass the United States as the world’s largest market for wind turbines — after doubling wind power capacity in each of the last four years." See full article