Unlike George W. Bush’s administration, which remains cavalier in its disregard for the warning signs of climate danger both at home and globally, Hu Jintao’s leadership has begun to evince a hopeful assertiveness, at least in domestic environmental policy. There is a paradox here: while China’s central government is trying to provide national environmental leadership, local governments have often resisted.
与布什政府对国内外存在的气候变暖危险信号漠不关心的态度不同，胡锦涛领导的政府已经开始表明其坚定的立场，至少在国内的环保政策上采取了充满希望的做法。这里存在着一个矛盾。在中国，中央政府一心想要制定国家环保准则，地方政府却往往拒不执行。在美国，联邦政府在制定环保准则上一直软弱无力，甚至不进反退，而各州却态度积极，以更高的标准走在了前列，例如加利福尼亚州。