China argues that, as a developing nation, it can’t adhere to the Kyoto protocols because it will limit their economic growth and right to develop. China looks to rich nations such as the U.S. and Europe to take the lead in climate change initiatives.
But what caught my attention in this NPR report was the “P” word -- population control. No one in the U.S. likes to throw that word around, as it’s not a popular topic – even so-called environmentalists shy away from it.
However, China is anything but shy.
They boast that their family planning campaign (implemented in 1975) has saved over 400 million people from being born, and therefore been the biggest contribution towards reducing global warming than any other country. It’s especially interesting when you consider a Chinese person uses 1/13 the oil and 1/7 the CO2 that the average American uses.
And as more and more Chinese want the typical American lifestyle (like having a car to drive), China hopes to educate its public that wasting energy is nothing to aspire to.
