thing; in that case, no one will have time to worry about the environ-
ment. Of course, this rapid economic growth will cause additional
environmental damage; there are some things in the environment that
are irreversible. That’s why I think China will have to lose something—
some species, some wetlands, something. We are working very hard to
strengthen our environment. But, as much as I regret it, you cannot
save all the things you would like. You cannot stop a billion people.”
What you can do, however, is make sure that the growth is as green
as possible—which is where Western institutions come in. The United
States and other nations should follow what I call a Global Green Deal
policy toward China: instead of investing in more coal, oil, and fossil
fuel development—which remains the focus of most Western capital
today—Western governments and companies should be selling and
financing energy efficiency in China. Switching to more efficient light
bulbs, insulating China’s notoriously drafty apartment and office
buildings, and installing more efficient electric motors in China’s fac-
tories would not only decrease its dreadful air pollution and green-
house gas emissions, but also provide much-needed jobs for workers
and profits for companies in both China and the West. What’s more, a
Global Green Deal in China would not only help reverse the planet’s
deteriorating environmental situation, but also assist the climb out of
poverty that is an inextricable part of humanity’s struggle for survival
in the twenty-first century.
24 Mark Hertsgaard