Stop using China as an excuse to not take action on climate change.

Hi. I’m Lone Candle. How do the climate actions of the U.S. and China compare?

I’ve now had repeated interactions where U.S. efforts on climate change comes up, and someone says: We can’t do anything because of China. This is stated in such a way as to end the conversation. No other thoughts or information are needed. Hey, China emits a lot of greenhouse gases, so we’re fucked. End of story. We can’t do anything.

Of course, this isn’t the end of the story and is just a lazy or biased excuse to not deal with the tough issue that is climate change.

Here’s what’s true. Yes, climate change is such a huge problem that the world must take it on together. Action by the United States alone will not make much of a difference. It’s also true that China is a key needed partner because they produce a hell of a lot of greenhouse gases. However, the reasonable response is to think about how to get China and the world to reduce greenhouse gases, not throw one’s hands up and walk away.

Another crucial point: over the last four years, the number one bad actor on climate change isn’t China, but the United States! It is us who needs to get our shit together.

Getting the world to act on climate change is a task of persuasion. How are we gonna persuade anyone when we are the worst actor; when it is the United States who walks away from the Paris Agreement — the whole purpose of which is to find ways to work together…