U.S., China Agree To Joint Effort On Greenhouse Gas Reduction Research
By John O'Dell July 20, 2009
In a gesture aimed at showing the world they're on the case, the planet's two largest greenhouse gas emitters - that'd be the U.S. and China, in case you haven't been keeping score - have approved a joint greening effort.
Actually, it seems to be more of a joint intent-to-start-to-do-something-about-greening-things-up effort, but it's at least an effort.
The pact, announced last week by U.S. energy Secretary Stephen Chu during a visit to Beijing, calls on the two nations to work together to find methods of producing vehicles that are more fuel-efficient, buildings that are less energy-intense, and technologies that can reduce CO2 emissions from burning coal and capture and sequester what's left.
"I know we can accomplish more by working together than we can by working alone," U.S. Energy Secretary Stephen Chu said at a press briefing with Chinese officials.
Chu said the two countries would commit an initial $15 million to the project.
($15 million? Get real. That's just .002 percent of one day's worth of the U.S. budget this year - shoe-shine change for Uncles Sam and Mao. Couldn't they have tried to make it a meaningful sum?)
Both countries depend heavily on coal, the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel there is, and are likely do so for some time to come, so carbon reduction and carbon capture are critical elements of any plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions.
The announcement is a prelude to discussions of an international treaty on GHG reduction, to be discussed in December at the global climate conference in Copenhagen.
If the U.S. and China can agree to start working together, the chances of global agreement have gone up a notch (still highly unlikely, but vaguely possible).
John O'Dell, Senior Editor
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