Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Paris Isn't the Only Clean Energy Pact the U.S. Is Fleeing
Last edited Thu Jun 8, 2017, 08:37 AM - Edit history (1)
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608032/paris-isnt-the-only-clean-energy-pact-the-us-is-fleeing/[font face=Serif][font size=5]Paris Isn’t the Only Clean Energy Pact the U.S. Is Fleeing[/font]
[font size=4]The White House’s deep proposed cuts to energy R&D could cede leadership to China, and derail the international Mission Innovation partnership.[/font]
by James Temple | June 7, 2017
[font size=3]Energy ministers from around the world traveled to Beijing this week for a series of meetings on international efforts to accelerate the shift to clean energy, including the Mission Innovation pact aimed at doubling government funding for research and development.
U.S. energy secretary Rick Perry is attending, but the Trump administration has arguably already staged a de facto exit from the initiative, and has certainly signaled it’s opposed to the goals. The meetings occur just days after President Trump announced plans to withdraw from the landmark Paris climate agreement, and weeks after the White House floated a budget proposal that, far from doubling research funding for the Department of Energy, would slash it by more than $3 billion (see “Exiting Paris, Trump Cedes Global Leadership on Climate Change”).
For some observers, the location and timing of the meetings only reinforce the growing international perception that China has seized the climate leadership role abandoned by the United States.
"This could be a passing of the torch," says Varun Sivaram, acting director of the program on energy security and climate change at the Council on Foreign Relations, referring to the Energy Ministerial meetings held Tuesday through Thursday at the China National Convention Center.
…[/font][/font]
[font size=4]The White House’s deep proposed cuts to energy R&D could cede leadership to China, and derail the international Mission Innovation partnership.[/font]
by James Temple | June 7, 2017
[font size=3]Energy ministers from around the world traveled to Beijing this week for a series of meetings on international efforts to accelerate the shift to clean energy, including the Mission Innovation pact aimed at doubling government funding for research and development.
U.S. energy secretary Rick Perry is attending, but the Trump administration has arguably already staged a de facto exit from the initiative, and has certainly signaled it’s opposed to the goals. The meetings occur just days after President Trump announced plans to withdraw from the landmark Paris climate agreement, and weeks after the White House floated a budget proposal that, far from doubling research funding for the Department of Energy, would slash it by more than $3 billion (see “Exiting Paris, Trump Cedes Global Leadership on Climate Change”).
For some observers, the location and timing of the meetings only reinforce the growing international perception that China has seized the climate leadership role abandoned by the United States.
"This could be a passing of the torch," says Varun Sivaram, acting director of the program on energy security and climate change at the Council on Foreign Relations, referring to the Energy Ministerial meetings held Tuesday through Thursday at the China National Convention Center.
…[/font][/font]
