China vs. the U.S: Who can be less Green?

Orville Schell, noted China scholar and Dean of UC Berkeley's Journalism School, has recently published an op-ed about one of the greatest not-on-the-agenda items between China and the U.S.  He apparently wrote it in advance of President Hu's visit last week, but I've just seen it this morning.

 

In it he describes the biggest challenge not as Taiwan.  Not trade or the economy.  Not the 80 submarines China people claim China is building.  No, he said the biggest challenge facing Sino-U.S. relations is...wait for it... Global Warming. 

 

Global Warming.

 

As in, "Hurricane Katrina and Cyclone Monica, brought to you by Global Warming."  As in, "Wars in Somalia over access to fresh water, brought to you by Global Warming."  As in, "You might call that rapture, but I call it a man-made population-thinning storm-surge, brought to you by Global Warming." 

That Global Warming.

 

I just wanted to bring it to light here, because it's not too often that China-watchers delve into topics as far from their topic as Global Warming.  So it must be a big deal.