On Wednesday’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” John Kerry, special presidential envoy for climate change, said meeting climate goals will cost between $2.5 trillion and $5 trillion a year “for the next 30 years.” He said he believes China may not actually use new energy. The coal-fired power plants they’re building are “because that’s what they tell us. And when you look at the amount of renewable energy that’s being installed, you start to see the potential.”
asked co-host Ari Shapiro. [relevant exchange begins around 3:10] “China is building more coal-fired power plants, and the U.S.[‘s] Emissions have not fallen enough to meet America’s climate goals. So why should we trust that these promises will be kept? ”
Kelly said, “Yes, China has about 360 gigawatts of coal-fired power plants scheduled to come online or be built. And if that were to happen, it would be catastrophic. But… I think China is de-risking to some extent the reality that their economy needs it as a backstop. But they’re building more renewable energy than all the countries in the world combined. We are building, building, and deploying.”
Mr. Shapiro then asked, “Do you think coal-fired power plants are a broken glass for emergencies that may never be used?”
Kelly replied: “That’s what they tell us. And when you look at the amount of renewable energy that’s being deployed, you start to see that potential.”
Kelly then said, “Every financial report says that if we want to get to net zero by 2050, it’s going to cost us about $2.5 trillion to $4.5 trillion to $5 trillion a year over the next 30 years.” ” No government in the world has the funds to do so, but the private sector does. ” And, “If we don’t do what we need to do between now and 2030, the next six years, we won’t be at net zero in 2050. I don’t want to believe that that’s what we have to accept.”
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