> Michael Lorrey wrote:
> >
> > Paul Hughes wrote:
> >
> > I started taking a course in Chineese Politics and was
> > wondering what
> > peoples thoughts are on the rising power of China and what
> > that portends
> > for the rest of the world - especially on how it will impact
> > on
> > extropian goals. Any thoughts?
> >
> One thing that has some people worried is China becoming a huge
> consumerist nation. If the Chinese decide to adopt
> a predominately meat diet and a large percentage of them decide to start
> driving cars, then the impact on the environment may be a little messy.
> A story I read in Business Week said an automobile-centered Chinese
> society would suck up most of the world's oil, or something close to
> it. I haven't put any math to it, so this is just anecdote.
>
THing is, if they changed over to an oil energy infrastructure, they'd
probably be polluting less than they are now. Their current coal energy
industry burns the dirtiest coal in the world, stuff that would be out and
out illegal in most other countries, though of course, their CO2 emissions
would go up, but everything else would be lower. Between the Yangtse Valley
project and new nukes coming online, though, I expect that they will most
likely focus on non fossil sources for new energy needs.