18th annual us-china legal exchange
DESCRIPTION
Director Ronen gave overview of US and Chinese clean energy efforts at the 18th Annual US-China Legal Exchange on December 4, 2013.TRANSCRIPT
Amit RonenDirector, GW Solar Institute
Professor, Trachtenberg School of Public PolicyThe George Washington University
U.S. Department of Commerce and P.R.C. Ministry of Commerce
18th Annual U.S. – China Legal Exchange
Welcome to The George Washington University
• GW was founded in 1821 by an Act of Congress
• Located in Foggy Bottom in the heart of Washington DC
• Around 25,000 students enrolled across 10 professional schools
Sustainability was established as one of the University’s core values in 2009
GW Has Strong Ties with China
Vice Premier Liu celebrating the opening of the Confucius Institute with George Washington
University President Knapp
U.S. and China:The World’s Two Largest
Economies
The United States and China are also the world’s largest producers and consumers of energy.
U.S. and China: Both Highly Dependent on Fossil
Fuels
U.S. and China: Both Highly Dependent on Oil Imports
Source: EIA
U.S. Consumes Much More Energy Per-Capita
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20110
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
United States 313
China 82
Total Primary Energy Consumption Per Capita (million BTU)
Source: EIA
China’s Economy is Much More Energy-Intensive
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20110
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
United States 7
China 26
Total primary energy consumption/GDP (thousand Btu)
U.S. and China: World’s Largest Greenhouse Gas Emitters
U.S. and China: Agree We Must Both Urgently Tackle Climate Change
US Secretary of State John Kerry, left, listens to Chinese Premier Liu Keqiang during a meeting during an April 2013 meeting in
Beijing
The Joint U.S.-China Statement on Climate Change calls for:
“forceful, nationally appropriate action by the United States and China - including large-scale cooperative action”
that could “set the kind of powerful example that can inspire the world.”
U.S. and China:Both Pursuing a Clean Energy Future
“Between more clean energy, and less wasted energy, our emissions of dangerous carbon pollution are actually falling. And while our carbon emissions have been dropping, our economy has been growing.
It proves that the old argument that we can’t strengthen the economy and be good stewards of our planet at the same time is a false choice. We can do both. And we have to do both.”
– U.S. President Barack Obama, Weekly Address, November 16, 2013
“In constructing eco-civilization, it is imperative to build a sound system and to protect the ecological environment through the system.”
– Communist Party of China Central Committee Communiqué, November 12, 2013
U.S. and China:Both Pursuing a Clean Energy Future
Co-opetition
In November 2009, President Obama and President Hu announce 7 new joint U.S.-China clean energy initiatives
U.S. and China: Working Together
Deng Xiaoping and Jimmy Carter sign the US-China S&T Agreement in 1979
The Most Significant Partnership In 30 Years
U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center
First of its kind joint clean energy R&D center, bringing together teams of U.S. and Chinese scientists and engineers.
Joint focus areas include:
More than 1,100 CERC researchers are collaborating on 88 projects focused on maximizing U.S. learning and address China’s growing demand for energy.
• Advanced Coal Technology• Building Energy Efficiency• Clean Vehicles• Intellectual Property Framework
Many Business, Academic, and Government Partners
U.S. and China: Competing Vigorously
Clean energy is the largest market opportunity of the 21st century.
Renewables will account for nearly half of the increase in global power generation thru 2035.
U.S. and China: Competing Vigorously
China led the world in attracting investment for wind, solar, and other renewable energy technologies in 2012.
Both countries are doing well
U.S. and China: Competing Vigorously
Trade is another key area of clean energy co-opetition
• More that half a trillion dollars worth of goods and services are traded between the U.S. and China.
• But in clean energy, while still relatively small, the relationship is more equal.
• $8.5 billion in total bilateral clean energy trade• $1.63 billion trade surplus for the U.S.
U.S. and China: Competing Vigorously
Solar trade dispute (not co-opetition)
• Solar’s complex global supply chain makes it difficult to resolve trade disputes.
• Tariffs and penalties are slowing solar growth and investment
• China recently resolved a similar trade dispute with the European Union.
U.S. Department of Commerce and P.R.C. Ministry of Commerce
18th Annual U.S. – China Legal Exchange
Please Contact Us with Questions or Comments:
GW Solar Institute609 22nd Street NW
Washington, DC 20052
@gwsolar