POLITICS

A surprise U.S.-China climate deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions sets ambitious targets that will likely prove difficult to accomplish, especially given the looming Republican takeover of the U.S. Congress. (National Geographic News)

Use our resources to better understand climate change.

Teachers, scroll all the way down for a short list of key resources in our “Teachers Toolkit.”

Discussion Ideas

• The surprise climate change agreement between the U.S. and China focuses on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. What activities are associated with greenhouse gas emissions?
  • Greenhouse gases are emitted by burning fuel such as wood, coal, petroleum (oil), oil shale, and natural gas. Some specific activities include:
    • operating power plants, which supply electricity and heat to communities
    • driving or using transportation fueled by petroleum or natural gas
  • Click here to investigate carbon dioxide emissions using our MapMaker Interactive.

 

• What are some alternatives to activities associated with carbon emissions?
  • Alternative sources of energy include nuclear, wind, solar, biomass, and tidal.
  • Traveling less frequently, taking public transportation, and using low-emission vehicles such as electric cars can also reduce your “carbon footprint.”
  • Click here to investigate patterns of alternative energy use with our MapMaker Interactive.

 

The terrific Nat Geo News article poses three general problems the U.S. and China will face in order to reach the new agreement’s record-setting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Each problem suggests its own discussion ideas.

1. Emissions are rising in both countries.

• Why are the reductions going to be more of a challenge for China than the U.S.?
  • China is a developing country—one of the so-called BRIC group of rapidly developing economies. (The others are Brazil, Russia, and India—other key players in the global warming debate.) This means China is building factories and power plants at a much, much faster pace than the United States.
    • “China will need to deploy an additional 800 to 1,000 gigawatts of nuclear, wind, solar, and other renewable generation capacity by 2030—an enormous amount, about the same as all the coal-fired power plants in China today, and nearly as much as the total electricity generation capacity of the United States,” says U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
  • Click here to see how China is responding to the challenge with “The New Empire of Cleantech.”

 

2. Obama faces intense political opposition.

• Why do many Republicans oppose limits to greenhouse gas emissions?
  • Reducing emissions may mean closing power plants, which would put people out of work.
  • Relying more heavily on alternative energy may cost consumers more money for utilities.
  • The Republican platform generally supports “small government” and is opposed to increased federal oversight of business and local communities. Read the Republican platform on “American’s Natural Resources” here. (Compare it to the environmental components of the Democratic platform on “Economy Built to Last” and “Ensuring Safety and Quality of Life.”)

• According to Nat Geo News, “Obama has the executive authority, via the Clean Air Act, to issue” rules about carbon emissions. Why does it matter what the opposition party thinks?
  • The opposition party (Republicans) was just elected to control both houses of Congress. (Here are some great maps of the Senate outcomes.) Republicans could vote to prevent any money from supporting the rules. Without money to create infrastructure and accountability, the rules will go nowhere.
  • The president and Congress need to work together to create any new policy.
  • Read more about “4 Ways Election Results Could Intensify U.S. Energy Battles.”

 

3. Carbon-free alternatives are often costlier.

• If alternative energy sources are costlier, why has the industry grown so much in both the U.S. and China?
  • The governments of both nations have supported investments in alternative energy by offering subsidies. A subsidy is money given by a government to an industry or business so that the price of a good or service (electricity, for instance) remains low. (The fossil fuel industry gets subsidies, too.) Balancing subsidies, consumer responsibility, and environmental concerns is very difficult.
    • Play our game “You Have the Power” to understand the complex issues involved in making informed energy decisions.

 

• The Nat Geo News article concludes by saying that two factors may influence the way the U.S. and China implement the emissions agreement. What are those two factors?
  • Technology
    • New technology may make it less expensive and complex to alter existing infrastructure to reduce emissions. Read more about “Conserving Energy through Grid Modernization” in this activity.
    • New technology may also help alternative energy sources to becomes more affordable and accessible. Click here to see how nanotechnology is making solar panels more affordable.
  • Oil prices
    • Increasing oil prices from abroad may increase the incentives for oil production in the U.S., or it may increase the demand for alternate sources of energy. Read about how an oil embargo changed the energy market in the U.S., and how it may have inspired more domestic production.
    • Decreasing oil prices from abroad have traditionally decreased demand for both U.S. oil production and alternative energy sources. Read more about the oil industry here—skip to the “Extracting Petroleum” section.

 

TEACHERS TOOLKIT

Nat Geo article: 3 Obstacles Ahead for Surprise U.S.-China Climate Deal

Nat Geo collection: climate change

Nat Geo MapMaker Interactive: Global Carbon Emissions

Nat Geo MapMaker Interactive: Alternative Energy Use

Nat Geo video: The New Empire of Cleantech

Nat Geo game: You Have the Power