Sustainable Development in a Global Era: Possibilities for U.S.-China Environmental Cooperation

As China's economy continues to expand rapidly, environmental issues have never been more pressing. The threat of compromising the sustainability of economic development has urged the Chinese government to implement a policy of “Green GDP.” Measures have also been taken to utilize market forces in promoting environmental protection. What lessons can China learn from the U.S. regarding the balance between industrialization and environmental preservation? What role can the U.S., with a more comprehensive system of environmental policies already in place, play in pushing the world's fastest developing country towards a policy of sustainable development? In this seminar, Elizabeth Economy, the author of the River Runs Black, will share her perspective on the main issues behind China's environmental problems and potential multilateral ways of resolving them.

Elizabeth Economy, Director of Asia Studies, Council on Foreign Relations