Taking green awareness to a higher level

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor,
Recent discussions between the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana and the Natural Resources and Environment Minister focused on investments, training, and technical support for the expanding extractive and environmental sectors. All of us must embrace the use of environmentally-friendly technology. Guyana is very much in the lead when it comes to promoting sustainable development in the context of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
A worldwide survey found that the environment and global warming are greater concerns for the Chinese than the economy, per se. The green awareness among the Chinese is somewhat stronger than in Britain and the U. S. This was established at the Fifth China Branding Roundtable in Beijing, organised by the London-based Economist magazine, and this was over six years ago. Since then, China has managed to persuade others to embrace this same mindset.
The survey found that 31 per cent of Chinese consumers identified the environment as a higher priority than the economy. This percentage was significantly higher than consumers in the U. S. and slightly higher than consumers in the UK. According to China’s 12th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development (2011- 2015), the country will spend around US$473.1 billion on clean energy investments over the next five years. China’s goal is really to have 20 per cent of its total energy demand sourced from renewable energy by 2020.
A recent report by Pew Charitable Trusts shows that China led the world last year with a US$54.4 billion investment in clean technology, about 40 per cent higher than third-placed America. I trust the talks between Guyana and China will bear fruit as regards green awareness and the environment as a whole.
Yours truly,
Kishore Pyarlall

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