The Rickshaw Report: The UN Climate Change Summit

1. This December, 140 world leaders of the most powerful world leaders will meet in Paris for the UN Climate Change Summit. Xi Jingping made a speech at the Opening Ceremony. What do you know about Climate Change?
I think climate change is real. Over the past years, the temperature seems to be steadily increasing. I think this phenomenon has been provoked from mankind’s activities.

2. Consequences of global warming include heat waves, droughts and flooding, which threaten the lives of humans as well as animals. Do you find this worrying?
That’s what will happen if global warming continues. I heard also that the polar icecaps are already melting, causing the sea to rise by 2 meters a day. Before, we had no vehicles on the streets, so there was no pollution at all. But now, the technology is getting more developed, and the automobile making industry has boomed leading to more and more pollution. But I think, as common people, we do not have any control over this matter. We cannot stop anything, but we will have to suffer from the results.

3. Is climate change a big topic amongst Chinese people?
Of course, Chinese people talk about it. We also complain a lot about the polluted air. But, just like I said before, I do not think our complaining will have any impact.

4. Donald Trump argued that Climate Change is a lie made up by China in order to destroy US business – what do you think of this?
It is not only about one country. Every country on the earth has the responsibility to do something about climate change. ButI think that  there are a lot of American people who do not want to see China  progressing because now the US economy has come to a standstill. They are not progressing. So they will make things up and talk bad about China.

5. Tibet recently introduced its first ever solar-powered bus. Do you believe all of China’s public transportation could be fuelled by renewable energy?
I think anything is possible given that the technology is continuously progressing. Although such a vehicle could help protect the environment, perhaps it’s more expensive for the general public to use because the government may have invested greatly in such a scheme. I guess everything has its ups and downs.

6. China is currently the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, but some argue that there are different capabilities and responsibilities among developed and developing countries like China, since developed countries have made a greater historical contribution to climate change. What are your thoughts?

Why would someone say that? Beijing’s polluted air is caused by its own development. Do other countries care about how much Chinese people suffer from the bad air quality? No, it is our own problem to solve. That being said, China does need room to develop itself. China is the biggest emitter. But has the highest population. Without development, how can these people survive? You know, a lot of developed countries move their polluting factories to China and other developing countries. And the state-of-the-art technologies that specialize in tackling air pollution and others problems, are made by  developed countries. Of course, they want to sell these products to developing countries. So I do think developed countries should shoulder more of the responsibility.
7. What is China’s biggest environmental problem?
I think there are so many environmental problems caused by man’s actions. Rivers are polluted. The air is polluted. Forests are being cut down. Beijing’s smog is so heavy that I can barely breathe – the air was not like this before. Now, everything is just poisonous: air, food, everything.

(Editor: Our interviewee wanted to stay anonymous. Hence the photo only presents his hat- and what a fetching hat it is indeed!)