{"id":367587,"date":"2010-02-26T10:35:03","date_gmt":"2010-02-26T15:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=1690"},"modified":"2010-02-26T10:35:03","modified_gmt":"2010-02-26T15:35:03","slug":"china-takes-the-lead-on-clean-energy-jobs-how-the-u-s-can-still-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/367587","title":{"rendered":"China Takes the Lead on Clean Energy Jobs: How the U.S. Can Still Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

A majority of Americans are worried that the United States\u2019 role in the world economy will diminish in the coming years, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But the truth is, China is already beating the U.S. to clean energy jobs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

China is quickly becoming the<\/em> global powerhouse in clean energy manufacturing and innovation, dwarfing the efforts of America. Backed by huge investment and an industrial policy bigger than the world has ever seen, China has become the worldwide leader in new energy technology markets while the U.S. is quickly falling behind.<\/p>\n

But we can match the scale of China\u2019s centralized industrial policy by fully deploying the engine of American prosperity: our marketplace<\/strong>. It is the only tool we have with the scale and capital to compete with China.<\/p>\n

If the U.S. puts a limit on\u00a0carbon pollution from dirtier sources of energy, we will\u00a0send a clear signal to the marketplace that will unleash a massive wave of private investment\u00a0in clean energy that would allow us to compete with the Chinese. Only when American policy creates a profit motive for investors, inventors and entrepreneurs, will we have a chance to win\u00a0the race.<\/p>\n

President Obama made that case<\/strong> to the Business Roundtable<\/a>.<\/strong> He\u00a0called for a price on carbon to kick-start America\u2019s efforts to win the clean technology race.<\/p>\n

Key excerpts of the President remarks:<\/p>\n

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A competitive America is also an America that finally has a smart energy policy. We know there is no silver bullet here \u2013 that to reduce our dependence on oil and the damage caused by climate change, we need more production, more efficiency, and more incentives for clean energy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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But to truly transition to a clean energy economy, I\u2019ve also said that we need to put a price on carbon pollution \u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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What we can\u2019t do is stand still. The only certainty of the status quo is that the price and supply of oil will become increasingly volatile; that the use of fossil fuels will wreak havoc on weather patterns and air quality. But if we decide now that we\u2019re putting a price on this pollution in a few years, it will give businesses the certainty of knowing they have time to plan and transition. This country has to move towards a clean energy economy. That\u2019s where the world is going. And that\u2019s how America will remain competitive and strong in the 21st<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

If Congress puts a limit on carbon pollution, the U.S. will compete with China.<\/strong> If we don\u2019t, there\u2019s no reason to believe the future will look any different than the facts we see today. Those facts are listed below, or you can\u00a0download and print\u00a0EDF's one-page handout version [PDF]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

China\u2019s Climate and Energy Policies Create an Investment Advantage<\/em><\/p>\n