U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently released the landmark Green New Deal proposal, which would enact new and sweeping regulations to help fight climate change. In response, many lawmakers have balked. Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein was recently filmed talking down to children who asked her why she was opposing the bill. Republicans have described it as “nothing more than the latest job-killing, socialist wish list from the radical left.” Meanwhile, China is already making huge strides that put the U.S.’s climate stance to shame.
CNN reports that the Chinese government is looking into building its own space solar energy plant. The idea is to harness the sun’s powerful rays above the atmosphere and then transmit them to the Earth via either microwaves or lasers, thus reducing the Earth’s dependency on CO2 emitting energy sources. It’s a program that has never before been tried–and carries many unknowns and risks with it. Still, China believes it’s an important element to pursue as part of its overall renewable energy program; the country has pledged to invest 2.5 trillion yuan ($367 billion) in renewable power sources by 2020.
This certainly adds a new element to the climate change debate. Up until now, the issue has long been considered something on which bleeding heart progressives love to harp. Yes, science has repeatedly proven that the Earth is getting warmer, and that these rapid environmental changes will likely have catastrophic effects in our own lifetime. Yet that still has never gotten the attention of people on the right or center. China’s space renewable energy program could transform the issue into something bigger. It shows that the world is responding to this environmental crisis, and that the future global leaders will be the ones who take the problem seriously.
While U.S. lawmakers continue to take money from oil and gas companies while twiddling their thumbs, China is already announcing big plans to transition to renewable energy. The country reportedly plans to start small over the next few years by testing small solar satellite programs.
By 2050, writes CNN citing Chinese reports, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Program “plans that a full-sized space-based solar plant would be ready for commercial use.” At the current rate of U.S. debate and filibuster, the Green New Deal probably still won’t have been voted on.
You can read the full report here.
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