Recently, voices for the transition to eco-friendly energy have been growing louder around the world. In particular, Western countries such as the US and the EU are competing to announce eco-friendly policies to respond to climate change. However, if we look at their actual actions, something seems a bit strange. Ironically, China, which was treated as a “villain,” is showing a lead in building renewable energy infrastructure. However, it is difficult to simply conclude that “the West is bad and China is good.” It seems necessary to carefully examine the actions of all parties once again.
First, let’s look at the current situation objectively. According to a recent report from the Global Energy Monitor (GEM), China is building almost twice as much wind and solar power as the rest of the world combined, a whopping 339 GW. In contrast, the United States is building 40 GW.
On the other hand, the US and EU countries are working hard to increase shale gas, oil, and natural gas production. In particular, the US has become the world's largest oil producer through the shale revolution, and Europe has been significantly increasing its imports of LNG from the US since the conflict with Russia.
Looking at this situation alone, it is easy to conclude that 'the West talks and China acts'. But the reality is not that simple. Each party has its own reasons and problems for their actions.
First, let's look at the position of Western countries:
1.
Energy security issues: The importance of energy security has been highlighted since the Russian-Ukrainian war, which has resulted in increased dependence on fossil fuels in the short term.
2.
Economic Interests: The shale industry is a major contributor to the U.S. economy. It is difficult to give up on it because it creates jobs and increases tax revenues.
3.
Technological limitations: Building large-scale energy storage facilities to address the intermittency of renewable energy is expensive and time-consuming.
4.
Political pressure: The fossil fuel industry lobby remains powerful. It exerts influence over politicians and seeks to block rapid energy transition policies.
But these reasons do not justify the actions of Western countries. The gap between their stated commitment to climate change and their actual actions is clearly problematic.
Now let's look at the situation in China:
1.
Building massive renewable energy infrastructure: China is actually building huge renewable energy facilities, which is definitely a positive change.
2.
Securing industrial competitiveness: China sees renewable energy as a future growth engine. This is both an environmental policy and an industrial policy.
3.
The urgency of environmental issues: China’s severe air pollution problem forces it to be more proactive in its transition to renewable energy.
4.
Centralized decision-making: China’s political system allows for rapid implementation of large-scale policies. This can sometimes be inefficient, but it can be effective for large-scale infrastructure development.
But China’s actions aren’t perfect either. It’s still building coal-fired power plants and has the world’s highest carbon emissions. And the process of building renewable energy infrastructure has raised concerns about environmental destruction and human rights.
Ultimately, the US, EU and China all have their own problems. Western countries need to be more consistent in their words and actions, while China needs to improve its overall environmental policy along with expanding renewable energy.
As I watch this situation, several questions come to mind:
1.
Which country can truly take the lead in tackling climate change?
2.
How can we achieve both renewable energy transition and economic growth simultaneously?
3.
How can the international community work together to solve this problem?
4.
Could technological innovation be the solution to this problem? If so, what technology?
Ultimately, it is not words that matter, but actions. Climate change response and the transition to green energy are tasks that can no longer be delayed. The US, EU, and China must all reexamine their actions and make real changes.
We are at a historic turning point. It will be very interesting to watch in the coming years who will talk, who will actually act, and what the results will be. What path will the countries of the world take in this complex situation? And how will our planet change as a result? I am really curious to see what will happen next.
Subscribe to 'haebom'
📚 Welcome to Haebom's archives. --- I post articles related to IT 💻, economy 💰, and humanities 🎭. If you are curious about my thoughts, perspectives or interests, please subscribe. Would you like to be notified when new articles are posted? 🔔 Yes, that means subscribe. haebom@kakao.com
