From the Yellow River to Yellow Skies
Jay Ramesh
We complain every year of the waves of yellow pollen that coat our cars, houses, and clothes every spring. But in Beijing, the skies are actually turning yellow, and it’s not because of pollen.
The US Air Quality Index (AQI) is used to measure air quality levels, air pollution, and potential health effects resulting from dangerous air quality. According to the index, Green levels between 0-50 are satisfactory, with little to no risk of health effects. Maroon levels 301 and higher pose a health emergency that is likely to affect everyone.
On April 15, sand, dust, and pollution caused Beijing’s AQI to hit 324, with levels soaring to over 1,300 in the afternoon. China officially blames the Gobi desert it shares with Mongolia for the majority of these dust storms, though dangerous levels of air pollution certainly don’t help the air quality. Though other countries also struggle with dangerous levels of air pollution in their cities, China has become infamous for smog and poor air quality in its major cities.
Global climate talks have been under the radar lately, but the talks, or as we will see the lack of things talked about, represent a significant closing window for international cooperation between China and the US. John Kerry, former US Secretary of State and current US Climate Envoy, wrapped up his trip to China on Saturday, April 17. As of this writing, it is unknown how productive the talks were, which most likely reflects a failure by both parties to reach any consequential agreements.
In the wake of former president Donald Trump pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords, the Biden administration is making moves to resume US involvement in global climate initiatives. Biden will be hosting a virtual climate summit for world leaders on Earth day.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced that, despite disagreements and criticisms, the US is prepared to work together with China to fight climate change. As for China? Well… they’re giving Washington the silent treatment.
Chinese president, Xi Jinping, left Kerry and the Biden administration on read after Kerry’s visit, with Jinping not revealing if he would attend Biden’s summit. Meanwhile, China texted back close US allies France and Germany, stating that the country would be happy to cooperate with them on climate policy. China had previously used Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris accords to criticize US climate policy, claiming that the US must “catch up” to China and do more for the environment.
Though the window for cooperation between the US and China is closing, there may be a new opportunity for international competition. 24% of US electricity is coal powered, far less than the estimated 65% of China’s share.
Bashing heads in flashpoints across the world could manifest into a sort of race to the bottom for a race to the top in world climate leadership. As both parties seek international political leverage, the fight against climate change could become a valuable arena to turn political bickering into useful progress and change.
As technological innovations continue to grow in both countries, a green throne as world climate policy leader is slowly starting to emerge, supported by decades of international cooperation and several climate initiatives. Both countries could turn their international tensions into a productive force for good through innovation and trying to outdo the other in terms of green energy. China might not have texted the US back, but Biden has shown that he isn’t afraid to double text his other allies.