It remains to be seen whether CERC leads to real innovations, but the mere existence of the project is a promising indication that China and the U.S. can move from a clean energy relationship that has historically been often based on a zero-sum mercantilist mentality to one based more on collaboration and innovation. The fact is that working with China is very much in the United States’ interest and that of the world. China’s emissions levels are on track to far exceed those of the United States, which makes their need for breakthrough clean technologies that much more urgent if we are to drastically reduce carbon emissions as quickly as possible
