Thread by @MichaelChongMP

1/ Ten years ago it was reasonable for Western gov’ts to propose cooperation with China on GHG emissions.

Xi had just become leader. The IEA & many gov’ts, including Harper’s, thought global coal demand would peak in 2013 & decline from there.

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torontosun.com/opinion/column…

2/ Western gov’ts assumed China would work in good faith on climate change & GHG emissions.

But over the last decade, Beijing’s actions demonstrate it’s not working in good faith. It’s working furiously to increase GHG emissions.

From the Washington Post:

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3/ “China last year approved the largest expansion of coal-fired power plants since 2015, a new report has found, showing how the world’s largest emitter still relies on a fossil fuel that scientists say must be quickly phased out to avoid the worst consequences of a warming atmosphere.

It also underscores the way China is at odds with the global shift away from greenhouse gas-emitting forms of energy — and from its own pledges to reduce its emissions.

The rush to build new coal-fired projects across the country meant that authorities granted permits for 106 gigawatts of capacity across 82 locations in 2022, the highest number in seven years and four times higher than in 2021.

This is according to new report from the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a Finland-based nongovernmental organization, and the Global Energy Monitor, a nonprofit that tracks fossil fuel infrastructure.”

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4/ China is increasing its coal consumption at a furious pace & plans for even more consumption.

China burns more coal than the rest of the world combined.

China is the reason why global coal demand rose to an all-time high in 2022 & will likely rise again in 2023.

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5/ In light of these facts & in light of Beijing’s belligerence toward Canada (jailing of the two Michaels, meddling in our democracy, etc), it’s unfathomable why the Trudeau government continues to “cooperate” with Beijing on climate change & lend Canada’s good name.

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6/ Minister Guilbeault sits as Executive Vice-Chairman of Beijing’s China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development.

The Trudeau government also provides $16 million to this organization.

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7/ The Trudeau government is lending Canada’s good name to Beijing and giving it the veneer of respectability of doing something on climate change.

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8/ That’s why we are calling on Minister Guilbeault to resign as Executive Vice-Chairman of Beijing’s Council and for the Trudeau government to cancel further funding.

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9/ Let’s talk to Beijing about climate change.

But let’s not lend Canada’s good name to give Beijing the cover it needs to keep increasing emissions.

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10/ If the Trudeau gov’t is serious about cooperation on climate change, it would expedite approvals for LNG export projects, so gas can replace coal.

That requires closer cooperation not with China, but with allies like Japan and Germany - and provinces like Alberta.

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