Protectionism in China overloading diplomacy over the world. At the risk environmental sustainability and global growth in coming years.
The fight against climate change and the policy of the green economy in recent months faced yet another challenge from the People's Republic of China after Beijing's announcement, last October, a drastic cut in exports rare-earth for the first half of 2011. Rare earths, or a series of 17 chemical elements extracted from various minerals in the earth's crust, are irreplaceable raw materials for hybrid engines, low-power applications of technology, solar panels and wind turbines.
Since most of the natural reserves of rare earth elements are concentrated in China, which also holds 97% of world production, the Chinese colossus exploits the advantageous position pointing straight to the cut in exports and has already locked for over a month, trade with Japan. The justification? shares from Beijing say that the choice is motivated by the high environmental impact resulting from the extraction of these elements. The announcement of the stop exports, estimated at around 30% in the first half of 2011 (which follows that of 70% imposed in the second half of 2010), immediately made the rounds of international registries , setting in motion the diplomatic network from Tokyo to Washington, from Brussels to Berlin, to protect the interests of government and major industrial economies in the world.
" There is a growing and substantial risk that without an adequate supply and open access to these elements, the global efforts to combat climate change, promoting innovation and global growth are greatly hampered . These are the words of some 40 industry associations (including the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Chamber of Commerce, the American Petroleum Institute, the Confederation of German, French, and Japanese) for the problem of rare earths and their monopolization in China.
Rare earths are essential for the green industry, and China appears driven by political reasons, not environmental . But this choice could have a strong impact negative for green manufacturing sectors that depend almost entirely from the supply of precious materials. An example of this, the desperate attempt by Toyota to raise the case. In hybrids, the use of dysprosium (rare earth) can significantly reduce the weight of the magnets of electric motors. Without the availability of rare earth hybrid models from Toyota and Honda would be easily undermined by cars produced in China.
It was not just Japan to provide a concrete answer to the question of China. The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) published a report on the strategy for critical materials, including rare earths. This study shows, with apprehension, the supply risk of the elements necessary for the production of critical technologies for the green economy. Pragmatism overseas is demonstrated by the submission of proposals for action in the short and medium term: 1. Diversification of sources of supply in the world, 2. The development of alternative materials and technologies through massive investment in research and development, 3. Promotion of energy and recycling materials.
Beijing's decision - which appears to many as a political blackmail - also stems from an overt dominance of China in the field of renewables. In the last report of the Company Ernst & Young Consulting , China holds the world record for the attractiveness of investment in green technologies . In 1997, moreover, Deng Xiaoping declared that "China Would Be, for rare earth metals, What Was the Middle East for oil."
The reduced availability of rare earth could induce foreign companies to relocate their production to China, facilitating technology transfer and know-how necessary to affirm a Green Power, obviously at the expense of industrial textiles abroad.
And Italy? Our country does not have a position on a bilateral basis but only as an EU member state . Brussels intends to follow closely the issue by focusing on a strategy for recycling of rare earth in order to decrease the dependence on these elements. During a public hearing held at the European Parliament on 26 January, industry experts have shown their concern regarding this issue, proposing an impressive work of recycling and a vigorous diversification of supply sources.
not, well, a mystery that Beijing wants to establish itself as a world leader in the green industry, while representing one of the biggest polluters the world. China's industrial policy is more aggressive and to consolidating the sector as a whole, through massive technology transfer. Moreover, the position of the Chinese giant within the international climate negotiations is clear: no limits on CO2 emissions, green technology transfer in favor of emerging economies and industrial control industry.
Main:
• European Commission position
http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=481
• NYT editorial
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/29/business/global/29rare.html?ref=global
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/05/business/global/05rarechina.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1296474248-qX0YO8dpKp7rzZvWQnpbkQ
• U.S. strategy (Document of the Department of Energy)
http://www.energy.gov/news/documents/criticalmaterialsstrategy.pdf
• Japanese strategy (Plan stimulus)
http://www.economist.com/node/17967046
