Lessons From The World’s Biggest Polluter
What can we learn from China?
As new figures condemning China as the world’s biggest producer of CO2 were reported in the Western world last week, many observers shook their heads and pointed their fingers towards the East as an excuse to avoid personal responsibility for climate change, before moving on to the next news item on their Chinese manufactured computers and plasma tv screens.
China may be the dirty nation of the world today, but what went widely unreported is the fact that of all nations, and despite a reluctance to commit to too much during climate negotiations, China is taking the kind of direct action that Western democracies in all their self righteousness have so far failed to do.
China is well aware of the danger that global warming presents. In 2006, a 415 page report produced by the Chinese government warned of significant shortages in agricultural production, and an increase in floods, typhoons and the prevalence of some diseases. The Himalayan glaciers which feed China’s major rivers, supporting 1.3 billion people, are retreating. Some estimates forecast their total loss, with disastrous consequences, within 50 years.
Reducing its contribution to climate change makes sense for China not only for ecological reasons. The communist state also has major concerns over energy security. Whilst 70% of China’s electricity is provided by domestic coal, it is almost completely reliant on imports for oil used in transportation - “Save energy, cut emissions” has become one of the communist parties favourite slogans along with an investment program of $10 billion aimed at doubling it’s renewable energy output by 2020.
Furthermore, China is particularly sensitive to its international reputation, being keen not be cast as a global warming villain. The Olympic games, to be hosted in China this Summer, will be fully carbon neutral, with aggressive measures being taken to improve Beijing’s toxic air quality.
Finally, China offers numerous potential benefits to Western firms in it’s bid to become greener. Still having many relatively inefficient manufacturing processes, the introduction of global carbon trading schemes will ensure an abundant supply of cheap carbon credits for Western firms through the low hanging fruit offered by clean manufacturing upgrade programs. In fact, this process has already started with $5.4 billion being invested by rich world polluters in 2007 to outsource the clean-up of their emissions to China.
The important point in this discussion is that change is the operative word in climate change. The solution we must seek involves changing our practices to avoid changing our climate. China may be the global warming bogeyman today, but it is demonstrating a willingness to change that few other nations can match. Whilst we procrastinate over the smallest changes and debate scientific minutiae, China is taking the positive actions that the Western world are not.
With thanks to The Economist. Chart data from the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.
Image credit: “Helga’s Lobster Stew” at Flickr under a Creative Commons license
Well I am glad to hear china is doing something about this. Having to wear a mask outside all the time must not be much fun for city people.
A couple of (contradictory) footnotes,
1) Outsourcing distorts the level of CO2 emissions by nation. Measures of UK mainland energy use show our CO2 output as ~2% of global emissions. However, studies of the London Stock Exchange show that UK companies emit more like 17% of global emissions. I wonder how much of that is being emitted in China.
2) As part of its development drive, China subsidises the richest 2-3% of it’s populations fuel use - owning a car being a status symbol. Oh look, fuel shortage, high CO2 output and high prices at the pump…
PS carbon neutral games? I wonder how exactly - sponsoring tree planting in its new colonies in Africa?
I would certainly agree with you about the fact that production and hence CO2 emissions have been outsourced. As I wrote: “many observers shook their heads and pointed their fingers towards the East as an excuse to avoid personal responsibility for climate change, before moving on to the next news item on their Chinese manufactured computers or plasma tv screens.”
– we are quick to blame, and slow to take responsibility for the benefits we get in return.
I just got back from a trip to China. I saw wind turbines, green grass roofs on large buildings, and tons of recycling of everything - big trucks of foam, plastic, old ladies trying to grab your water bottles.
Some places where we stopped were so brown/grey dirty smelly hazy air it felt apocalyptic - I don’t smoke, but I FELT like I did! But other areas were clean - they sure are cleaning up Beijing!
I think China is still not financially stable enough to get away from coal and polluting water and all that, but as soon as the government makes the decision that they are going to clean up their act and employ clean energy practices and switch to electric cars etc, you better believe it will happen swiftly. Unlike the U.S. who bumbles around with everything.
We still have Hurricane Katrina victims living in temp housing, and China started rebuilding permanent homes for their recent earthquake victims a week later!
Kendra, “they sure are cleaning up Beijing!” - nothing to do with international attention from the Games, then?
I have heard rumours that homeless people are being paid to get off the streets, others to stop polluting - generally, here’s some cash, now get out of the way while the international press is here.