Not America, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts, which released its G-20 Clean Energy Factbook today. And while we shouldn’t be surprised that China is surging into the green energy lead by key measures – with Europe right behind – the evidence is mounting that the U.S. is hobbling itself by moving slowly.
The Pew report, which sees $200 billion in clean energy investments in 2010, lays out the America’s problems in stark terms:
In all, 10 other G-20 members devoted a greater percentage of gross domestic product to clean energy than the United States in 2009… The United States is on the verge of losing its leadership position in installed renewable energy capacity, with China surging in the last several years to a virtual tie.
The report goes on to lament the stalled legislation in the U.S. Congress and notes that China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain have “strong national policies aimed at reducing global warming pollution and incentivizing the use of renewable energy”.
Still, there is hope in the “America’s entrepreneurial traditions and strengths in innovation.”