IT COULD just be the breakthrough the world has been waiting for. After years of prevarication, China now reportedly wants to ensure its carbon dioxide emissions peak, perhaps as early as 2025 (see 鈥�China moots reaching emissions peak by 2025鈥�). With US emissions also peaking, due largely to growing use of shale gas, the world鈥檚 two biggest polluters may finally be committed to action 鈥� action made even more timely by recent studies that have eliminated some of the scarier climate scenarios, creating a window of opportunity.
Some will find it hard to take China at its word, as its past actions seem to speak differently. But its orgy of coal power-plant construction is ending 鈥� not least because of domestic opposition to smog 鈥� and it has plenty of cleaner natural gas, is rapidly rolling out nuclear power and is already the world鈥檚 biggest producer of solar panels and wind turbines.
What鈥檚 more it has huge scope to make further gains in energy efficiency. Every time it replaces old industrial works with modern kit, emissions fall dramatically.
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Take all this into consideration, and China鈥檚 2025 ambition looks less far-fetched: and it starts to look like part of the solution 鈥� not the problem.
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淐urbing the dragon鈥檚 smoke鈥�