How Green is Their Valley?

Not much new data or insights in this report from The Street today but it is worthwhile repeating these sobering numbers about our per capita energy consumption and GHG emissions.

Yes, China is the biggest global greenhouse gas emitter on an aggregate basis, but that figure is misleading. It is more appropriate to break it down on a per-capita basis. Only then, the true gluttonous nations are revealed. In 2007, the average Chinese citizen emitted 5.1 tons of carbon, the average European 8.6 tons, and -- you guessed it -- the average American emitted 19.4 tons, almost four times the average in China.

I believe there is a big misunderstanding in the industrialized nations that China is not concerned about issues of air quality and global warming. China invested over $12 billion in renewable energy last year, second only to Germany.

About the second point, I do not believe investments in renewable energy (solar, wind, other) are a good measure of a country's concern about climate change. In the 'flat world' of globalization, China with its manufacturing prowess, has led from the front in investing in solar (and other) investments but these are more business decisions than an innate belief in renewable energy. My fear is that a majority of the solar and wind power manufacturing output is likely going to markets outside China and not to help with China's own growing energy demands. I am aware of policy issues around renewable energy in the US, some European countries, and even to some extent in India but am not so sure whether the Chinese government is looking to renewable energy for internal consumption also (or merely depending on environmentally disastrous hydro/dam projects and coal-burning power plants to fuel their economic growth and industrialization boom.)

As far as I know, installed capacity (at least for solar) is pretty low in China currently. Not so sure about wind farms in China either but that is a field I need to research/read more about. Any insights into installed base of solar and wind in China is welcome. Also, I am by no means denying the fact that the Chinese people and government are worried about some of the environmental problems their country is facing and will do more and more to fight this in the days to come. But will it be a little too little a little too late? Prevention is better than cure. Surely there is some Confucianism analog to that!