Secretary Granholm’s renewed praises of China for their leading role in the clean energy movement has caused a stir among many Americans.
Republican senator Reschenthaler even questioned Granholm’s apparent disregard for inflation, the economy, and financial crisis resulting from Chinese investment.
Breitbart reports. Despite China being the world’s largest emitter of CO2, Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm doubled down Thursday on her praise of China.
During a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) grilled Granholm about her remarks on March 10, 2023, including her statement that “We can all learn from what China is doing” on the environment, as well as another statement that the U.S. did not have the moral authority to criticize China.
Granholm was asked if she knew that China was responsible for 30 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions at that time. Granholm responded, “Oh, yes.”
In addition, Granholm confirmed that she was aware that China harvests and traffics forcibly acquired organs from minorities, including the Falun Gong, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Muslims, and Christians.
According to Reschenthaler, it is “astonishing” that she would say the U.S. has no moral authority to criticize China despite knowing of those human rights abuses.
In 2022, China set a new record for coal production, according to the secretary. China now gets 55% of its energy from fossil fuels, compared to 11% in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration.
Secretary Granholm’s praise of China’s “clean energy” investment has been a lightning rod of controversy, prompting questions regarding the US’s intention to follow suit and inflationary rise in cost of food and gas. Senator Reschenthaler’s challenge on Granholm’s remarks have raised concerns about America following China in its clean energy ventures, especially given the current inflationary environment which is burdening the American economy with surging unemployment levels, a financial crisis, war conflicts and higher costs on virtually every commodity. Undoubtedly, it is a big decision that could affect inflation rates and possibly plunge us into another recession. At the end of the day, America has some of the cleanest air, the most restrictive policies for protecting the environment, and we have done more than any other major industrial power to save the planet.
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