The “seriously huge” news from last night is that the United States and China issued an “announcement” on climate change that the two countries will work together to achieve CO2 cuts in the near future. The importance of what was agreed to, however, depends on who you’re listening to.
Here’s the text from the White House. The first thing you’ll notice is that it’s not binding on either party and that it’s filled with noncommittal language like “to make best efforts” and “intends to.” And the second thing you’ll notice is that a lot of what the two countries are agreeing to is probably technically impossible.
But if you get your news from the MSM and lib outlets, the non-binding nature of the agreement and the promises its makes are no big deal. Check out these over-the-top headlines:
Secret U.S.-China talks led to a landmark agreement to curb carbon emissions http://t.co/PJVOjUJT9T
— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 12, 2014
China-US carbon deal: A historic milestone in the global fight against climate change http://t.co/IUvVVrEiJT
— The Guardian (@guardian) November 12, 2014
John Kerry’s op-ed on the deal:
"In climate diplomacy, as in life, you have to start at the beginning, and this breakthrough marks a fresh beginning" http://t.co/ymph6xQnMa
— New York Times Opinion (@nytopinion) November 12, 2014
And although nobody on Twitter can agree on the spelling, it’s a “gamechanger/game changer/game-changer”
BREAKING: The US and China Just Announced a Huge Deal on Climate—and it's a Gamechanger http://t.co/88HaE2V6z9
— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) November 12, 2014
Recommended
New U.S.-China climate deal is a game changer http://t.co/B5DyPoK1Ro
— grist (@grist) November 12, 2014
Just in from China: President Obama and President Xi Jinping making joint announcement for historic cuts in climate pollution. Game-changer.
— Samantha Power (@AmbPower44) November 12, 2014
Many, however, are already pointing out that this agreement is really just a bunch of hype:
Thank you for playing Mr. Steyer we'd hate to have you go home, here's a lovely political gesture of a climate bow–sorry, vow–to China
— Chris Horner (@Chris_C_Horner) November 12, 2014
Lots of attention to the climate promises of China and US, but they actually hold little substance.https://t.co/2k2XO0e3kJ
— Bjorn Lomborg (@BjornLomborg) November 12, 2014
China's emissions were already set to max out in 2030 so Obama got nothing out of the big climate deal: http://t.co/KM0pY6eAJH ht @freddoso
— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) November 12, 2014
This "deal" is further proof that liberals don't believe in global warming either.
— David Freddoso (@freddoso) November 12, 2014
Experts are skeptical over the U.S-China emissions deal http://t.co/UpiWB1EZa6
— TIME (@TIME) November 12, 2014
https://twitter.com/JimmyPrinceton/status/532529746450477057
And even some libs aren’t all that impressed:
China's goal to have emissions peak by 2030 isn't very ambitious. But this is the first they've agreed to any peak: http://t.co/J6I3hKCYeO
— brad plumer (@bradplumer) November 12, 2014
Now, here’s the real question: Can China achieve its goal, especially as it relates to its green energy targets?
China aims to get 20% of energy from clean sources by 2030. That means ~900 GW—more than entire US electric capacity. http://t.co/J6I3hKCYeO
— brad plumer (@bradplumer) November 12, 2014
Plumer is linking to this piece from Vox that outlines China’s engineering challenge:
What’s more, China’s pledge to get 20 percent of its energy from clean sources by 2030 is really quite audacious. “It will require China to deploy an additional 800-1,000 gigawatts of nuclear, wind, solar and other zero emission generation capacity by 2030 — more than all the coal-fired power plants that exist in China today and close to total current electricity generation capacity in the United States.” That’s staggering — and it remains to be seen if China can do all that.
Now let’s put that number in perspective: The largest nuclear power plant in the Untied States produces about 4 gigawatts of power. But according to this agreement, China needs 1000 gigawatts of power? China had better start building — and fast.
Or to put this a different way:
https://twitter.com/mims/status/532470479358279680
China has to do this in 16 years. Good luck.
Really, the larger point of this agreement is to boost chances of bigger deal at the Paris climate talks in 2015:
US and China announce #climatechange targets in a move that boosts #Paris2015 prospects #COP20 http://t.co/d6WVzlw8su pic.twitter.com/oPHwXePJuw
— UN Climate Change (@UNFCCC) November 12, 2014
We welcome today's US-China #climate announcement, answering EU leaders' call to put forward targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) November 12, 2014
Exit question: Why are we trusting China anyway?
"China agrees to climate deal"
Media: Yay. Problem solved!
Normal people: Wait, why are we trusting China and what's actually in this deal?— (((AG))) (@AGHamilton29) November 12, 2014
https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/532392045743054848
Inhofe says of climate deal: "hollow and not believable for China to claim it will shift 20% of its energy to non-fossil fuels by 2030"
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 12, 2014
Answer: We shouldn’t be. At all.
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