Climate czar John Kerry’s visit to China illustrates the fallacies of the Biden administration's environmental policy. Kerry, the administration, and many in the media will celebrate the trip. In contrast, China will make promises that will not be fulfilled. China will continue to build vast numbers of dirty coal-powered plants.

This is a problem.

After all, climate change is a global phenomenon. Because China will continue to increase its greenhouse gases, nothing the United States does on the matter of greenhouse gases will have any material impact on climate change. In turn, scarce capital, which could be used to increase spending on research and development, accelerate the implementation of artificial intelligence, and improve the U.S. military industrial base , will be spent on solar and wind projects. That is to say, on projects that will have only a de minimis impact on reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

At the same time, the Biden administration increases the budget deficit and wastes capital by encouraging peoplle to drive electric vehicles. The data says people do not want to purchase EVs because of their expense, because of EV driving range anxieties, and because recharging an EV is too time-consuming. Inventories of EVs are piling up on dealer lots. Typically, a dealer wants 60 days of vehicle inventories. EV inventories are at 103 days . Inventories of internal combustion engine vehicles are at 51 days. In an effort to move product, Ford just slashed prices on its F150 EV. Traders sold Ford shares on concerns about the long-term profitability of EVs.

The mirage of a green economy is further illustrated in a recent research paper by professors of environmental law at Vanderbilt and UCLA.

In "The Greens' Dilemma," professors J.B.Ruhl and James Salzman explain that two greenfield 400 megawatt solar power plants are required to be brought online every week for the next 30 years to meet even a middle-of-the-road green energy target. That means that over 3,000 large solar farms, each requiring 2,000 acres, would have to be constructed while local opposition to solar farms is increasing. The professors also explain that the U.S. electricity transmission system will be woefully inadequate for a green economy. The U.S. would need to double the current rate of electricity transmission. That rate would need to be maintained for decades. Local opposition to new power lines is intense.

There's also that not-so-insignificant question of human morality at stake here.

In a January 2023 research paper, professor Gordon Hanson of Harvard University observed that the rush to a green economy would devastate many communities which rely heavily on carbon-based fuels. The economic and social consequences of the implosion of numerous local communities would be substantial. Long-term unemployment would increase. Families would fracture. Adults and children would turn to drugs and alcohol to ease the anguish of losing purpose in life.

In the meantime, China will continue to build coal-powered plants and devote more capital to building up its military. Chinese President Xi Jinping must surely laugh out loud at U.S. gullibility on climate change.

James Rogan is a former U.S. foreign service officer who later worked in finance and law for 30 years. He writes  a daily note  on finance and the economy, politics, sociology, and criminal justice.