China is well known for their terrible working conditions, inhumane treatment of their workers, and caring little for the natural environment, however if you are a Biden cabinet member then none of that matters when attempting to craft a narrative.
Fox News reports, according to Jennifer Granholm, secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, Americans can learn from China’s efforts to combat climate change.
In an interview at SXSW in Austin, Texas, Granholm praised China for its climate change efforts, describing it as “very sensitive” about the issue, more so than the United States.
She made these claims despite the fact that China recently set a record for coal production. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, “55% of China’s energy” now comes from coal “compared to 11% in the U.S.”
Over the last couple of years, China and the U.S. have agreed to work together to address the climate crisis, though some experts doubt that Beijing is as serious as it claims about protecting the environment.
According to Chuck DeVore, director of national initiatives at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, China’s climate change initiatives are “merely a strategy to entice gullible Westerners into thinking that we can somehow achieve meaningful cooperation.”
While some may be gullible there are many Republican lawmakers who heartily disagree with the Energy Secretary’s statements.
Despite the US Energy Secretary’s claims, China is not a great model to learn from when it comes to climate change. As the economy continues to grow, they have become the largest polluter in the world and have some of the poor human rights records as well. In addition, compulsive lying in their government has created a false sense of security for those hopeful that China will rise up and set an example for the rest of the world when it comes to fighting climate change. This would be a mistake – China is certainly not the best example for us to learn from when it comes to taking climate action.
