[makotech221]

Gimme a break. Compare China's centralized economy's solar/wind/nuclear production to the entirety of the west's decentralized, privatized economy. not even close.

[epistasis]

Well it really depends on who is control of the centralized decision making. In most states in the US it's fossil fuel interests that control utilities, and much of the government. Which means a very slow transition for nearly every state, when compared to Texas' decision to allow the cheapest energy to win.

In China, the government has the goal of deploying as much energy as possible as cheaply and fast as possible, and promoting their own industries too. Which means tons and tons and tons of renewables.

[kragen]

China's solar and wind production is extremely decentralized, and its nuclear production is not significant, except as usual from a proliferation perspective.

While (centralized, government) industrial policy has played a key role in making its renewable energy sector so utterly dominant, the sector thus created is more decentralized and privatized than in even the US.

[epidemiology]

China burns more coal than the rest of the world combined.

[epistasis]

Despite that I wouldn't be surprised if China ends up reaching 90% carbon-free electricity sooner than the US.

[andrepd]

To manufacture products exported to the west. It's always this argument... You need to look at emissions by country of final destination of the products, not by country of manufacture. In an age where a simple t-shirt is made in Bangladesh with cotton from Afghanistan it's ridiculous to use the latter measure.

[barbazoo]

To power the factories that build the products we so desperately need for a price we can afford.

If we stopped buying shit we don't need, they could easily turn off a good portion of their coal powered electricity plants if they wanted.

[leetharris]

Good, all we need to do is become China and we're set!

[r00fus]

No, but the US needs to actually compete with China. Instead the reaction from leadership has been to utter fail to compete and lambast China as an enemy instead of a competitor.

None of this serves anyone but the ruling class and deep state. War with China is going to be one that the US loses.

[outer_web]

I don't think that's what he was saying.