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Australian economist argues China is conning the world on net zero (www.news.com.au)

submitted 17 hours ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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An Australian economist has argued China has “hoodwinked” the world on net zero in what he acknowledges could be seen as a “controversial” take.

Leith Van Onselen, chief economist at the MB Fund and MB Super and co-founder of MacroBusiness, told 4BC host Mike Jeffreys that while Australia and other countries are making sacrifices for the good of the planet, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter is not, and therefore “we’re basically shooting ourselves in the foot”.

“I’d argue China is the largest beneficiary of the West’s net zero policies,” Mr Van Onselen said on the radio show.

“It’s not abiding by the same rules and what we’re effectively doing is, while we’re reducing our carbon footprints through these sorts of policies and giving us expensive energy and shutting down manufacturing and becoming less diversified economies, China is simply expanding its carbon output and expanding its manufacturing sector at our expense.

“The world’s not getting cleaner. We’re just shifting the pollution away from us, to China, and it’s actually less regulated in China.”

...

He referred to a Reuters report from August that found China had boosted domestic coal production and imports to record highs.

It said production from China’s mines hit a seasonal record of 390 million tonnes in July 2024, up from 378 million in the same month a year earlier, and imports surged to a seasonal record of 296 million tonnes in the first seven months from 261 million tonnes in 2023.

Mr Van Onselen concluded: “I think we can all agree we’d like to have a cleaner planet but the whole idea of net zero is completely impossible or ridiculous if China is not involved.

“If we’re going to make sacrifices, China has to make sacrifices.”

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Sure, sounds great. But it's the same problem that applies to everyone - all you can do is reduce your own impact and hope they do the same.

The article seems to be basically just complaining about China not doing enough, while not proposing any measures to encourage China to reduce their impact, while also failing to note that the manufacturing China is taking produces resources and goods FOR the west. If we don't want to give them our manufacturing jobs, then pass legislation forcing more manufacturing to be done in your own country.

Just saying "no, we should burn fossil fuels because otherwise it's not fair" is a bunch of bullshit.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 16 hours ago

That's an oversimplification of the article. It's not that "we should burn fossil fuels." China should rather stop burning them.

China's measures to fight climate change are highly insufficient as per practically all independent metrics, and the Chinese government doesn't appear to be even willing to reduce its emissions. It keeps on to produce a massive amount of overcapacity to to flood the world (and especially the global south) with cheap products for geopolitical and economic gains.