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China and the Environment

China and the Environment. Challenges. population arable land loss air pollution greenhouse gases water pollution energy. population. 1.3 billion and counting policy working similar fertility rate to U.S. will level off at 1.6 billion in 2050 declines after that

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China and the Environment

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  1. China and the Environment

  2. Challenges • population • arable land loss • air pollution • greenhouse gases • water pollution • energy

  3. population • 1.3 billion and counting • policy working • similar fertility rate to U.S. • will level off at 1.6 billion in 2050 • declines after that • can modernization help the slowdown?

  4. arable land loss • net annual loss since 1950: 1,800 sq. mi. (Starr, 118) • this is accelerating during reform period • desertification also an issue • 16 million acres lost • 40 million acres at risk • dust storms in Beijing • Chinese buying U.S. farmland (latimes.com) • leasing land in Laos, Cuba, Mexico (People’s Daily Online)

  5. “maximal use of limited land”

  6. air pollution • coal burning • especially unfiltered in rural areas: 70% smoke and dust, 92% sulfur dioxide (Sunday Herald) • by 2020, 100 million tons per year • car smog • rapid growth • if every Chinese family 2-car family, 600 million cars

  7. greenhouse gases • fourth in the world (Starr, 179) • could pass U.S. soon • support Kyoto in principle, negotiating limits, according to official at Foreign Ministry • sustainable?

  8. water pollution

  9. water • 1995: 36.5 billion tons of sewage and industrial waste into water (Starr, 180) • 90% water flowing through major cities undrinkable • water depletion: most serious in North

  10. energy • one 100W light bulb per head, per year currently (Sunday Herald) • net importer of oil now • responsible for 1/3 of the rise in daily oil consumption last year • predict same this year: 1/3 of 2 million barrel per day increase (Sunday Herald) • energy-intensive industries • steel, aluminum, plastics • second, behind Japan, in oil usage (Sunday Herald)

  11. Green development • 2000 environmental NGO’s (Washington Post) • articles in media • green GDP

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