Who's better at tackling climate change: Countries with democracies or the dictator-led government in China?
For Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, it's China hands down.
In an interview from Shanghai broadcast on CBC Monday, the mayor said he didn't have any reservations about trying to drum up green business in a dictatorship like China because the country is more advanced in some ways.
"You can be critical of lots of regimes around the world and you can question how worthwhile democracy is in a lot of countries right now which frankly are ignoring the biggest crisis in the history of our species with climate," said Mr. Robertson. A former Green Party member and organic-juice-company CEO, he has been on a 12-day tour and trade mission to promote Vancouver's green businesses to Chinese officials. "That's where you see the Chinese government taking radical, dramatic action in investing in turning the ship around and you don't see that in Western governments right now, democratically elected, because they're afraid."
Mr. Robertson's statements echo those of former London mayor Ken Livingstone, who told a Vancouver audience in 2009 that politicians have become risk-averse and it takes a bold leader with strong powers to be able to make real change to help save the environment.
"The progress in China, where they don't have to worry about elections, is quite breathtaking," said the flamboyant left-wing mayor who introduced the idea of vehicle fees for cars entering central London.
But, while Canadian environmental groups say that China is indeed making a great leap forward in environmental initiatives, things aren't quite as grim for Western democracies as Mr. Robertson's comments might indicate.
"I would be a little bit reluctant to lump all developed countries in the same category," said Matthew Bramley, Ottawa-based director of the climate-change program at the Pembina Institute.
Climate Action Network Europe, which scores countries every year on emissions trends, emissions levels, and climate initiatives, ranked Brazil, Sweden, Britain, Germany and France as the top-scoring countries. China was 52 and Canada was 59.
China is currently the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, producing 21 per cent of the world's carbon-dioxide emissions, which means it has a long way to go. Canada produces just under two per cent of total global emissions.
But Mr. Bramley said China is earning worldwide admiration for its aggressive moves into electric cars, wind farms, and shutdowns of polluting industries.
"China is expanding their wind power at a mind-boggling rate," said Mr. Bramley. "They've doubled their installations for the fourth year in a row. The level of effort being made is right up there with the leading industrialized countries."
Still, that doesn't mean that the environmental movement endorses dictatorship as a way to go green. They just can't help admiring China's approach.
"It's like wartime and scale and effort, and that does imply a level of government action that is easier for an authoritarian regime to implement."
Back in Vancouver, the mayor's comments produced only a sniff from opposition Councillor Suzanne Anton, an avid cyclist and plastic-bag foe.
"It doesn't surprise me. He doesn't like democracy here at home either," said Ms. Anton. "It's all rather imperial."
