A recent report from the Worldwatch Institute projects that China will meet its ambitious renewable energy goals for 2020 through significant investments in hydro, wind, biomass, and solar power. Of particular note is the use of solar hot water by ten percent of Chinese households, which could affect global energy use as companies begin to export these inexpensive units.
However, Howard French and Li Zhen’s article in the New York Times (part of a series on pollution in China) paints a different picture of China’s renewable energy progress. Titled Far From Beijing’s Reach, Officials Bend Energy Rules, this article identifies widespread breaches of policy at the local level, making it increasingly unlikely that China will meet its energy reduction goals without meaningful intervention by the national government to assure compliance.
This highlights the importance of effective policy enforcement in creating the conditions necessary for sustainable business practices to take root.
Quoted from the Worldwatch Institute’s review of Powering China’s Development: China has become a global leader in renewable energy. It is expected to invest more than $10 billion in new renewable energy capacity in 2007, second only to Germany. Most of this is for small hydropower, solar hot water, and wind power.
[Originally posted to Where] I’m not sure if there’s anything left to say about Van Jones, the Obama administration’s special adviser on green jobs. An article by Elizabeth Kolbert details his efforts to address urban poverty and global warming by putting people to work on green infrastructure projects. Jones explains his plans in a recent NPR interview. His work has captured our imagination, but does it represent a promising new form of urban environmentalism?
The European Union has provided the initial investment to station solar plants along the desert shores of the Mediterranean in northern Africa and the Middle East. They hope to significantly reduce their carbon emissions and increase the supply of drinking water in the desert region through a desalination process linked to solar energy production.
The Center for Science and Environment (CSE), a public interest organization in New Delhi, holds classes in urban rainwater harvesting for practitioners. The term “rainwater harvesting” refers to the storage of rain for later use. The CSE program combines traditional water management practices with new technologies. This seems like a practical way of promoting efficient and sustainable natural resource management. I wonder if it would be possible to extend this training to non-practitioners in urban slums.
The Downland Gridshell building is part of the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, which features a collection of restored architecture dating back to the 13th Century. It was designed by Edward Cullinan Architects to hold the museum’s collections, building conservation workshop, and timber store. I find it particularly interesting that it was built deep into a hillside terrace in order to reduce ground cover and energy consumption.