[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > China has the coal reserves to keep up this rate of increase, and it's at > the heart of their ecconomic expansion. At this rate, by 2015, they'll > have about twice the output of Europe and the US combined. That's why > getting the cost of green technology down is critical. We in the west can > all think green and cut emissions 20%, but the rate at which greenhouse > gasses are put in the atmosphere will still show rapid acceleration if > China doesn't decide to change its policies. And, for this to happen, it > has to be in China's best interest....there can't be a cheaper out than > going to green power. > Let's not forget that burning hydrocarbon fuel is only one contributor - Indonesia is, by some calculations, the second highest emitter in the world just through their rate of deforestation. (The same source puts Brazil at 5th in the world for the same reason - ironically due to US AGW prevention measures). Even if they are overstating the effect of deforestation on the greenhouse effect, the effect on our planet is just as devastating. At the same time as we need to find another way to provide Chinese industry with cheap power, we also need to find ways to stop Indonesia and Malaysia from strip mining their forests for the timber (even though it is so lucrative for the peasant farmers doing the felling) and ways to stop factory owners taking the cheap way to dispose of their hazardous waste. I hope there's some major breakthroughs coming soon in all these areas. Cheers Russell C.
_______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
