Green Protectionism Is a Bad Idea
Mooted EU and US climate tariffs aimed at Chinese steel and aluminum risk raising costs for all.
Not green enough.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/BloombergWelcome to Elements, our daily energy and commodities newsletter. Today, Bloomberg Opinion’s Clara Ferreira Marques looks at the news that the US and Europe are weighing fresh tariffs on Chinese metals as part of efforts to cut emissions, and argues that any attempt to mix protectionism with the global climate fight is misguided. If you haven’t yet signed up to get Elements sent to your inbox, you can do that here.
The US and the European Union are considering tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum. It’s a troubling conflation of very different concerns — climate, perceived metal oversupply and the threat posed by China’s clout — and will bring more problems than it solves.