Foreign Policy guzzles Xi Jinping Thought on climate change

China's maximum leader made all sorts of climate change promises to the UN General Assembly kickoff this year, a lollapalooza whose Kabuki theater level rivals that of the Republican National Convention and its Democratic counterpart.

And, per that link above, Foreign Policy largely drank the Xi Jinping Thought Kool-Aid. I will give it credit for being skeptical, but only partial credit, as that skepticism only starts halfway through the piece:

There are reasons to be skeptical. Xi is not promising an immediate turnaround. The peak will still be expected around 2030. Recent investments in new coal-fired capacity have been alarming. A gigantic 58 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity have been approved or announced just in the first six months of this year. That is equivalent to 25 percent of America’s entire installed capacity and more than China has projected in the previous two years put together. Due to the decentralization of decision-making, Beijing has only partial control over the expansion of coal-burning capacity.

And, it ignores Xi's own past. He, along with Dear Leader Obama, made sure the Paris Accords were largely toothless Jello. 

Back to the piece itself.

Xi is saying this because, per the Kabuki above, the UN General Assembly is always a good time for PR. China, the US, Israel and a few other countries are major players. And, between remaining coronavirus anger, new border skirmishes with India, Belt and Road Project souring by many alleged beneficiary nations and other things, China's got plenty of PR it needs to sow. Speaking of, Xi's actual statement to the UN is itself full of blather, mainly on coronavirus. If Xi REALLY cares about "coming together," drop the opposition to Taiwan joining WHO. (Also not mentioned at FP by Adam Tooze.)

Beyond THAT? Per the link in the pull quote, Chinese shoddy construction, even by US standards, means for a lot of ongoing reconstruction. (Which is also a Chinese regional governors' jobs issue.)  And, that means more construction-related carbon emissions. 

Indeed, that link deserves its own pull quote.

A broad announcement by chairman Xi, and one made in front of the world’s assembled heads of state, has the potential to mobilize the resources of the society and re-align the five-year plan targets. If the signal goes out to the bureaucracy that this vision is something to be implemented from now on, it can kick China’s energy transition into high gear. But one can just as easily imagine a future where this target gets relegated into the category of lofty long-term visions to be addressed by the distant successors of current bureaucrats and state-owned company bosses.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Well, actually, I could have mentioned China's past cheating on carbon emissions.

Beyond THAT THAT? This is the Xi Jinping who got the post-Deng two-term limit on being president tossed for him, and is creating Xi Jinping Thought. 

Beyond THAT THAT THAT? How many of the China-stanners in certain precincts of the left will ALSO guzzle this?

Beyond THAT THAT THAT THAT? Going beyond the worst Trumpian ideas of a national security establishment "deep state," the bipartisan foreign policy establishment incestuousness is a real issue.

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Nov. 12: Via Yale Climate Connections, Barbara Finemore of Natural Resources Defense Council (shock, #GangGreen) is peddling the Kool-Aid, too.