Thursday, December 3, 1998
1:00 to 2:30 pm, 902 Hart Senate Office Building

The Kyoto Protocol.
Developing Country Participation.
Buenos Aires.

These controversial topics are frequently raised when the topic of climate change is discussed. During the Fourth Conference of the Parties in Buenos Aires (Nov. 2-13) China expressed its discomfort with emissions reduction commitments. However, this does not and should not indicate that China is ignoring technology and policy options that can reduce emissions such as the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies in its own development process.

World oil consumption currently stands at about 75 million barrels per day. Assuming a modest two percent annual growth rate, more oil will be consumed in the next two decades than in all of history. China, like the United States, has chosen to rely extensively on imports rather than developing domestic resources. With the United States projected to import about 60 percent of its oil by 2010 and China projected to be importing about 20 percent of its needs in 2010, the energy security of both countries will be significantly impaired as daily world oil production becomes constrained. The United States stands to gain significantly with large export markets (such as China) and increased domestic jobs if it continues to develop and maintain its technological edge in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

A recent INFORM Inc. report highlights China's phenomenal renewable energy potential. Wind, solar, hydro, biomass, geothermal, and tidal power all have huge potential for providing electricity. Wind has attracted the attention of the Chinese government recently. The Ninth Five-Year Plan projects 300-400 Megawatts (MW) of wind by 2000, with projections of 1000-1500 MW by 2010. By comparison, China's estimated wind resource is about 253,000 MW. Similarly, China's use of solar is expanding. Solar hot water heating will reach 250 million cubic feet by 2000 and new housing incorporates passive solar designs. However, the solar electric market still remains largely untapped in China even though two-thirds of the country receives more than 2000 hours of sunlight annually. Biomass has the potential to offset the use of 120 million tons of coal each year using advanced technologies and estimated hydropower resources equal 290,000 MW. Geothermal could displace 300 million tons of coal annually, but currently only 50 MW of geothermal are in place, displacing about 1 million tons of coal. Tidal power is expected to grow to 50 MW by 2000 and 300 MW by 2010.

With hundreds of thousands of people dying annually from respiratory disease and a growing demand for consumer goods, especially cars, China cannot ignore the environmental and public health issues at hand and must look towards renewable energy and energy efficiency as solutions.

Please join EESI as the panel listed below addresses these and other energy-related development and climate change issues:

• Roberta Weisbrod, Director of Sustainable Transportation Programs, INFORM, Inc. of New York, NY;

• Kevin Rackstraw, Consultant; former Director of International Programs, American Wind Energy Association.

EESI briefings are free and open to the public. No reservations are required. For more information, please contact EESI at 202-628-1400.