China is serious about cutting energy use intensities & carbon emissions. It has targets of cutting energy use intensities by 20% in the 5 years to December this year and by 40-45% by 2020. The US criticises these targets because they do not involve absolute emissions cuts. But in a practical sense China is doing far more to address climate change than its much wealthier and petulant trading partner.
The Chinese Government is enforcing these cuts by telling provincial governments to make them. Do it! The result is a forecast cut of between 5-10% in steel output nationwide and this, of course, will imply at least a short-term dramatic reduction in Australian iron ore and coal exports to China.
Is this policy efficient? No. But it is effective.
That struck me too at a recent LNG Forum in Shanghai, the strong emphasis on cutting both greenhouse emissions and other pollution.
Harry Clarke said:
Well effectiveness in doing some good is always better than efficiency in not doing good. Your criticism is an implied criticism of liberal methods of combating climate change and an overt praise for “corporal” methods ie command & control.
As the internet’s foremost booster of the PRC I can only applaud your applaudyness.