U.S./China Natural Gas Trade for Cleaner Skies
[Full post in Cross-Examination at NCPA Debate Central]
China’s government is struggling to halt industrial and automobile pollution, even inspecting barbeques. Heavy winter smog in Beijing and other Chinese cities is ugly and causes a range of health problems. In addition to coal-burning industries and cars, Beijing is up against mountains that hold pollution in place along with temperature inversions (the kind that contribute to smog in Los Angeles and Mexico City). The coal powering China’s industrial growth over the last three decades has a long history of generating both power and pollution.
[Discussion of coal powering industrial development from England to Europe and the U.S. Heavy pollution in Pittsburgh. Then discussion of emissions trading and importance of separating pollution credits from CO2 emission (which could also be traded as “carbon credits”)
Then post ends with Forbes article noting U.S. government delays on LNG export terminals delay China’s efforts to shift to cleaner power (and natural gas power supports wind energy installations as well, providing needed back up when wind isn’t blowing).]
“Chinese Pollution Opens Door For U.S. Natural Gas Exports,” (Forbes, November 21, 2016), or would, writes James Taylor, with U.S. government approval of more LNG export terminals:
Chinese provincial governments are shutting down everything from industrial manufacturing plants to outdoor barbecues to address oppressive air pollution, Reuters reports. The United States can economically benefit from the situation if our government will stop blocking the construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals
Taylor writes that state and federal policies are blocking LNG terminal construction, and notes significant coal pollution from China makes its way to the western U.S.:
Failing to see that LNG exports would enable nations like China and India to convert their electricity base from coal to clean-burning natural gas, government officials are actively blocking the construction of LNG terminals in the name of environmentalism and opposing “fossil fuels.” Ironically, Chinese pollution swept over the Pacific Ocean by prevailing wind currents accounts for up to 11 percent of black carbon particulate matter and 24 percent of sulfates on the U.S. West Coast.
(Warning for debaters: James Taylor evidence will invite anti-James Taylor evidence. Here is his DeSmogBlog entry)