By Paul Homewood
Emma Pinchbeck, formerly Deputy CEO of the renewable lobby group, Renewable UK, apparently believes the coronavirus pandemic has been good news for China:
https://twitter.com/ELPinchbeck/status/1248148351939416065
It seems she heard about this on the far left Channel 4 Dispatches documentary, so it must be right.
Leaving aside the actual numbers, the idea that COVID-19 has in any way been good news is contemptible. Trading off one set of actual lives lost against another theoretical set is utterly callous.
Pinchbeck admits she has no basis for the numbers, but assumes they must have something to do with air pollution. Leave aside the contentious details, such as the almost certainty that China has grossly underestimated its death toll from COVID-19, the fact that “deaths due to air pollution” is not an absolute concept but one of premature death, and the fact that much of China’s air pollution results from indoor coal fires.
There is a fundamental and fatal flaw in her logic.
As a direct consequence of China’s industrial revolution, living standards for the majority of its population have improved out of all recognition.
They are better fed, clothed and housed. Their health care and other public services have been transformed. The problems caused by famine, flood and drought are a thing of the past.
As a result, life expectancy has risen from 60 years in 1970 to 76 years today.
This is not to say that China does not still have real air pollution issues. But the way to solve these lies with technology and not returning to the dark ages.
They are already building clean coal power stations, which take out most of the real pollutants, and building them outside of cities as well.
And to deal with pollution from homes, industry and transport, they only need to take a leaf out of the Western playbook, implementing Clean Air Acts and vehicle emission standards.
Does Emma really want China to return to the bad old days?
FOOTNOTE
Emma Pinchbeck is soon starting her new job as CEO of Energy UK, which represents all sectors of the power industry:
Energy UK is the trade association for the GB energy industry with a membership of over 100 suppliers, generators, and stakeholders with a business interest in the production and supply of electricity and gas for domestic and business consumers. Our membership covers over 90% of both UK power generation and the energy supply market for UK homes. We represent the diverse nature of the UK’s energy industry – from established FTSE 100 companies right through to new, growing suppliers and generators, which now make up over half of our membership.
Our members turn renewable energy sources as well as nuclear, gas and coal into electricity for over 27 million homes and every business in Britain
https://www.energy-uk.org.uk/about-us/about-us.html
I wonder whether she will lobby as hard for gas firms as she did for the over subsidised wind sector?
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April 9, 2020 at 01:27PM
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