New approach expected to benefit everybody

President Obama has diverged sharply from the Bush administration's hesitant approach and said the US needs to take global leadership in addressing climate change. He stressed there should be "no delay" in implementing relevant initiatives.

Obama's words are not just for show and he realizes US climate change policies are closely linked with US national security.

Environmental protection is not only an expenditure, but also an investment that could generate returns and fighting climate change is consistent with the goal of revitalizing the US economy, according to Obama.

Developing clean energy will act as a new locomotive to drive the nation's economic growth, he said.

Obama's new approach will probably benefit not only the US but also China and a host of other countries.

Climate change presents numerous problems. Much of northern and western China is arid or semi-arid and depends heavily on glacier-fed rivers. These glaciers have been shrinking for years as the globe's climate slowly shifts.

Obama's climate change policies may also help growth in China's emerging green technology industry.

Several Chinese economists have labeled the country's clean energy sector as its next economic engine. A US administration amenable to, and supporting global development of, such technology will only boost the industry's success.

Obama plans to spend $150 billion developing clean energy over the next 10 years and generate 5 million new green jobs. Renewable energy will account for 10 percent of US power generation by 2012 and 25 percent by 2050. A cap-and-trade system will be established to reduce emissions of large-scale industrial businesses. Climate-altering carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020 and drop by 80 percent by 2050.

As the first step of his ambitious plan Obama appointed Steven Chu, a physicist, head of the nation's Energy Department. He also appointed a number of scientists to work for the energy department and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Obama's climate moves have won applause from the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and chairman of House Energy and Commerce Committee have pledged to draft a greenhouse gas emissions reduction bill by 2009.

The "Big Three" carmakers, which could have presented obstacles to such legislation, now have little bargaining leverage with the Congress, since the capital-strapped companies were recently begging for government funds to survive. The new administration's plans could finally put the US auto industry on the road to developing energy-efficient cars.

Obama seeks to join the global effort in fighting against climate change. In particular, he expects the US to become a global leader on energy issues and seeks international cooperation in developing clean energy.

Just how much his policies actually help combat climate change is impossible to predict but they will probably continue to receive a lot of attention, both in the US and in China.

The author is a researcher with the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

(China Daily 05/11/2009 page2)