Why should I care about Climate Change while China has 43 New Coal Fired Power Stations in the works

Apothic_Red

https://time.com/6090732/china-coal-power-plants-emissions/

So this whole thing is a farce, 43 new Moneypoints in build or ready to go.

At the same time we are winding down our coal generation.

I am no climate change denier, I believe in the science, I believe in thew urgency.

When I read reports like this it just makes me want to throw the dog **** in the recycling bin out of spite, what are we really doing

I've about 30 years left on this rock, touch wood, rest of you are f*cked

teediddlyeye

If the west stopped buying all their cheap plastic crap, they'd stop.

Yurt2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058267763/why-should-i-care-about-climate-change-while-china-has-43-new-coal-fired-power-stations-in-the-works

No children then?

NIMAN

If everyone had that attitude, we will be finished a lot quicker.

joseywhales

It's never too late to do the right thing? But seriously when the effects of climate change intensifies exponentially, you are better off have a diverse energy infrastructure than being dependant on fossil fuels. It will effect supply and extraction also. At some point we will reach peak climate disaster and it would be nice for whoever is left to be able to turn a light bulb on.

Dyr

The important thing to remember is that our obession with climate will bankrupt the west, while the russians, chinese and Indians will merrily keep pumping their economies with cheap fossil fuels so your brave sacrifice will be for naught. Not only will you not save the planet for your kids but you'll leave them in poverty.

Car99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753187#Comment_119753187

All these DEALS , MR PRICE and any kids toy store should have all that cheap China plastic suite taxed out of existence. The amount of **** that'd gets sold out of those stores is unbelievable couple that with unnecessary food packaging and you can see why the world's environment is fooked and the oceans are already fooked. Humans are a plaque on this planet and until we are extint the world will never recover.

DLink

We're getting screwed over for the sake of being seen to do the right thing, carbon taxes on expensive fuel and turf cutting banned, while China burns whatever it can for as long as it wants.

Ireland and the West still isn't ready to switch to electric cars, and solar panels, the technology isn't mature enough.

They're riding us into the ground to keep Greta and her ilk happy.

Packrat

We're fcuked either way.

We're all too selfish and want someone else to make the changes (which won't be enough anyway)

OP; there is no reason beyond juvenile conscience that you should care. Itll make no difference either way.

Manach

From the cooling scare in the 70s, to global warning and then to the latest climate change, the public have been inundated with warnings about the changing climate, backed by various reports on how temperature has changed since Industrialisation. However, while providing a basis for states to raise taxes and the usual crowd to throw soup/paint/tantrums from a longer term historial perspective the climate has been changing continuous. From winter fairs held on the Thames to Eygpt being the breadbaseket of the Roman empire we live on a dynamic planet of temperature flucuations. That the some in the West are content to give industrial giants such as China a pass on their power plants whilst celebrating nuclear power plants closing in Europe has nothing to do with science, but politics.

Overheal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753216#Comment_119753216

Quick China is burning the candle! Let's burn the candle at all ends

donaghs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753298#Comment_119753298

You’ve missed the point, China’s way beyond what the rest of the world would even consider.

Overheal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753356#Comment_119753356

No it's a wild move and I'd love to unpack it but it's no reason to start buying Hummers and building new coal plants.

Apothic_Red

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753199#Comment_119753199

Yes but we'd have a bit of fun on the way out the door instead of dragging it out another generation

EOQRTL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753216#Comment_119753216

The planet will be fine, it will eat us up spit us out and move on.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753187#Comment_119753187

Actually, they're turning back to the coal fired power stations because their economy is heading towards stagnation. When times were good they were upgrading the older power stations towards being more environmentally friendly. Oil, sure, but also Nuclear, and the renewables. However, all that upgrading or changing over is expensive, so... yeah. If you really cared about the environment, you should be hoping that the Chinese economy does well, as it finances the changes in Chinese society away from being so polluting.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058267763/why-should-i-care-about-climate-change-while-china-has-43-new-coal-fired-power-stations-in-the-works

However, I agree with you. It's a complete joke. The point remains that underdeveloped and developing nations will want to close the gap with Western nations, and that means industrialising in a major way. Asia is already doing it and Africa will soon follow suit, so we'll see far more of this going on. It's unavoidable.

TBH I've always felt the environmentally "friendly" responses in western nations to be a bit of a scam. Just look at all the scandals over recycling, or the various government led initiatives which cost a fortune but caused other problems. Wind turbines tearing up the soil and rain pathways?

The truth is we're fcked. Humanity is driving towards massive climate change, and it's far too late to prevent it. We're just ahead of the curve because of Europe industrialising early, but once Africa and South America seriously get down to industrialising, we're all screwed. After all, they can't afford the expensive alternatives which supposedly are better.

DLink

I think most low to middle earners in Ireland couldn't give two fiddlers about climate change right now, they would prefer to have cheap food, cheap fuel for the commute to work (not all of us live in Dublin or other major cities so we have no public transport to speak of), and cheap heating for the house.

Food and heat are all that matters, and the cheaper, the better... Try selling climate change to someone who is scrimping on food and heat right now.

Ireland will be a cold, damp shithole for the next 6 months, if you keep the heating off both you and your house will show signs of that very quickly.

The rest of the world is laughing at us in the West... Plough on lads, burn whatever you want, Paddy Irishman or John Doe will take the hit for you.

igCorcaigh

China is building in self protection as it transitions to a new future. A sensible approach. Don't discard the old before you create the new.

xxxxxxl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754188#Comment_119754188

So why are we not allowed to do that. Greens interfering in everything Gas, Gas storage list goes on.

Danzy

Outside of North America and Europe no one is interested in climate change or mitigation of carbon.

Carbon outputs in North America and Europe are a small % of the total pie and rapidly falling.

Unfortunately carbon output is rapidly rising in Asia, where 60% of global carbon is produced.

Developing clean technology is the way we can get them to clean up because most of the world doesn't care about it.

unkel

@Danzy - "Outside of North America and Europe no one is interested in climate change or mitigation of carbon."

This is simply not true. While China building new coal fired power plants is bad news, it disregards the fact that China adds more hydro, more solar PV and more wind to the grid every year than the rest of the world combined.

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754188#Comment_119754188

Exactly, and they have already stated in their plan that emissions will increase until 2025. After that the new technologies will come on stream and emissions will start to fall.They are expected to reach or exceed their emission reduction targets for 2030.

The difference between them and say Ireland is that they have a practical real world plan, unlike Ireland's look good 'plan' which hasn't a hope of being achieved.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754229#Comment_119754229

All that matters about carbon in this topic is the volume produced.

China is by far the dominant carbon output producer and exponentially growing, Europe and North America are carbon minnows by comparison, our rapid declines only buy them a little extra time.

Does it matter that they have so much renewables, their scale and commitment to the dirtiest of energies exceeds it.

Climate change will be won or lost in Asia.

dublin49

i am thinking I would hedge my bets if I had a sea front property worth millions and sell up before the market gets ascare,once that Genie is out ....

unkel

@Danzy - "All that matters about carbon in this topic is the volume produced."

That's a very simplistic view. China makes most of the stuff the rest of the world uses. Of course they will have a load of emissions. This is only going to increase as soon enough they will also make most of the world's cars, vans, buses and trucks (all electric). They are actively working to mitigate it though by deploying as much renewables as they possibly (economically) can. I bet they will be emissions neutral before many western countries are.

archer22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754245#Comment_119754245

Per capita the United States is the biggest producer of CO2, emitting more than 50% of the amount that China emits, despite being only around a quarter of China's size population wise.

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058267763/why-should-i-care-about-climate-change-while-china-has-43-new-coal-fired-power-stations-in-the-works

Ah yes, dirty China. The world's largest investor in renewable technology. Over 25% energy from renewables.

For a country that has well over 1 billion people. I think the sense of scale is lost on people in Ireland. In terms of renewable energy and pro-renewable strategies and incentives, China is leading the world.

This is the country who displaced 1.3million people to build the world's largest hydro electric dam. Compared to Ireland where a few objections from NIMBYs can kill a project.

There's very few countries on the planet with the political will and resources of China. I've no doubt they'll outpace the western world when it comes to carbon neutrality.

I would advise people to read up on China before resorting to lazy out of date stereotypes. China has done in 80 years what took the USA 200 years, and western Europe 1000 years.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754282#Comment_119754282

China produces more carbon than the entire developed world combined.

It's talking about 2060 for carbon neutrality but it's already missing the steps to that

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754298#Comment_119754298

Per capita is not looking at volume.

China produces about 5 times the carbon of America.

China's output is rapidly rising while America is rapidly falling.

Per capita talk is just about ignoring the problem

unkel

@Danzy - "China produces more carbon than the entire developed world combined."

Eh yes. And they make a lot more stuff than the entire developed world combined. If we in the developed world would make all that stuff, we would not be carbon neutral as quickly as China will be.

As @Padre_Pio hints at, that's the benefit of having a progressive dictator instead of a lame democratic government like in Ireland. Energy crisis? Shure we'll play Santa Claus and we'll give you all €200 every few months so you will still be voting for us. Who cares that our children will face the bill. Not saying China is all good, of course I'm not. I'd rather live in a lame country like Ireland were human rights are protected. But let's not ignore the basic sums and facts here.

Danno

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754298#Comment_119754298

Wrong, the USA is thirteenth: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/carbon-footprint-by-country