My comment: I think this article dismiss the real role of European and Japanes green industry and economy. To be honest, they both are one decade ahead of China and two decades ahead of USA and India.
The future is not just green collar jobs as we China do and as USA and India will start to do now. It is to create green economy where all industries and all consumers perceive comsumption as negative. Any sort of consumption. That requires fresh entrepreneurial culture and fresh citizenry culture of lower and lower consumption and lower greed. It will take many years to build it. We know that infinite growth is not posible in a finite planet. But we do not realise the consequences of that statement to our economic habits and mind-set. It requires an important break point, economics and sciences in general cannot pursue only economic wellbeing of the humankind. Above that aim is a higher aim: sustainability. Not just as a restriction into our economic equation. Rather, as the true goal of our economic strategies. Peace and best wishes. Xi http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/15/content_11381186.htm BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) -- As the world's major countries rollout ambitious solutions to fight climate change, "green competition" is emerging on a global scale with profound impact both on the environment and the economy. The policies, including more use of new energy cars and creation of "green collar jobs," would effectively cut green house emissions. Meanwhile, the measures are also changing the global economic landscape. Unlike his predecessor, U.S. President Barack Obama has highlighted new energy sources in his economic stimulus plan, pledging to raise the number of new energy cars to 1 million by 2015. The country is also investing 150 billion U.S. dollars over the next decade to create 5 million jobs in environmentally friendly industries and ensure that 25 percent of the country's electricity comes from renewable sources. The U.S. drive to explore new energy is conducive to the country's economic recovery. In the long run, the new energy plan might even help trigger a global "green industrial revolution." As the world's biggest economy, the United States remains the planet's major oil importer and largest consuming country. The U.S.' newly found dedication to fight global warming would help boost confidence among the world's major nations in sticking to a green recovery road. Meanwhile, future technical breakthroughs could substantially reduce America's and other nations' reliance on foreign oil. With less demand pressure and less motivation for speculation in international oil markets, global oil prices may become much more stable instead of fluctuating wildly. Like what happened to the information industry last century, new technologies may also spark rapid growth in the green energy industry. The growth mode of the world's major countries may change as new energy-related industries prosper, leading to new international trade rules on such products. The U.S. shift in policy and newly found dedication to the world's efforts to fight climate change has indeed added fuel to the emerging global green competition. The European Union, which claimed to be "the front-runner" in fighting climate change, vowed in March to invest 105 billion euros (about 142 billion dollars) by 2013 to build a "green economy" within the 27-nation bloc to create jobs, spur economic growth and consolidate its leading position in green technology. China, as the world's biggest developing nation, has also become a major player in the green industry revolution. In its massive four-trillion-yuan economic stimulus plan, China pledged to invest 340 billion yuan (about 50 billion dollars) in environmentally friendly projects. Other countries, including Japan and India, also have announced green strategies to tackle their economic woes. At the annual economic Boao Forum in Hainan in April, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called on Asian nations to strengthen cooperation in such fields as energy-saving, environmental protection and the development of alternative energies. Asia may embark on a new road of sustainable development if it manages to do so. The green competition is particularly important amid the current economic meltdown as countries make every effort to create jobs and seek early recovery. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for a "Global Green New Deal" to reverse the current economic recession, echoing the "New Deal" of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt that helped end the depression of the 1930s. According to a recent study by the U.N. Environment Program, investments of one percent of global GDP, or about 750 billion dollars, are needed to bankroll the "Global Green New Deal." As UNEP chief Achim Steiner put it, the international community needs to take even stronger efforts and "the opportunity must not be lost." The world cannot afford to squander this chance. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "World-thread" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/world-thread?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
