China: Confusion over energy

I am not one who has been shy to criticize the Chinese Communist Party’s approach to environmental sustainability.

While there are those in the higher echelons of the party who are no doubt keen to see the country’s environment at least considered in the country’s headlong rush toward becoming an economic superpower, the lack of a true democratic process undermines much good work. For example, China needs a debate on alternative energy that, to date, it has not had.
There are a number of issues to be seriously considered, many of which have been outlined in a paper recently written by energy commentator Sharon Astyk, who presents her views about biofuels mainly in a US context, but says a lot that is worth considering by China. In an 11-point outline of the social and environmental issues surrounding the development of biofuels technology and industry, she details many of the sort of political discussion points that should be part of the political/civil public policy matrix China so sorely needs.

Probably the most significant issue Astyk raises for China is the size and shape of a local biofuels industry. She argues that for a sustainable biofuels industry to emerge it must be both organically based and small scale.

The Standard