{"id":126560,"date":"2011-11-10T22:36:28","date_gmt":"2011-11-11T05:36:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=126560"},"modified":"2011-11-10T22:36:28","modified_gmt":"2011-11-11T05:36:28","slug":"chinas-environmental-ambivalence-green-leader-or-climate-blackmailer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2011\/11\/chinas-environmental-ambivalence-green-leader-or-climate-blackmailer\/","title":{"rendered":"China's Environmental Ambivalence: Green Leader or Climate Blackmailer?"},"content":{"rendered":"
China has recently been sending out mixed messages regarding its stance on climate change. On the one hand, China seems to be going green<\/strong> and has\u00a0committed\u00a0itself to green policies<\/strong><\/strong><\/a><\/strong>, as expressed by The Diplomat:<\/p>\n China has committed to spending 2 trillion yuan ($313 billion) on developing green energy and reducing carbon emissions over the next five years, with a view to cutting per-unit GDP energy consumption by 16 percent compared with 2010.<\/p>\n The country has also announced a number of practical steps aimed at making this a reality, including the announcement this month that it will phase out power-draining light bulbs over the next five years.<\/p>\n According to AP<\/a>, China plans to \u201cban imports and sales of 100-watt-and-higher incandescent bulbs from October 1, 2012, in an attempt to save energy and curb climate change.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Green sentiment is also echoed in a five-minute apology issued to students at a Beijing photo exhibition by Pan Yue of the Ministry of Environmental Protection<\/a><\/strong>. From China Daily:<\/p>\n “We invited you to see what we are doing for the environment every time we held the show because we feel ashamed of what we have done and we are trying our best to improve the environment,” Pan said to the visiting primary school students.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Pan also said environmental deterioration has not been curbed, the report said, and the amount of pollutant emissions is far more than the environment can handle.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n