US secretary of state Antony Blinken has cast renewable energy investment as imperative to America’s rivalry with China days ahead of a White House climate summit where Washington leaders hope to reassert global influence on climate policy.
The top US diplomat warned that America is “falling behind” in the green economy, noting in remarks on Monday that China already holds nearly a third of the world’s renewable energy patents and is the world’s largest producer and exporter of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles.
“It’s difficult to imagine the United States winning the long-term strategic competition with China if we cannot lead the renewable energy revolution,” he said.