China’s remarkable, untrammeled economic growth is causing severe environmental degradation which is bound to have domestic and international repercussions. Joseph Kahn and Jim Yardley, explore this theme through their article “As China Roars, Pollution Reaches Deadly Extremes” (2007) which appeared in the New York Times. This precis aims to summarize the main points of their article.
According to the authors, China’s industries and cars are causing some serious air and water pollution and preliminary statistics by reputed institutions are indeed alarming. According to Khan & Yardley (2007) “outdoor air pollution was already causing 350,000 to 400,000 premature deaths a year” (para 36) in China. Khan and Yardley (2007) also state that “nearly 500 million people lack access to safe drinking water. Only 1 percent of the country’s 560 million city dwellers breathe air considered safe by the European Union” (para 3&4). The authors opine that China’s coal-fired power plants are causing acid rain in SE Asia due to the indiscriminate discharge of noxious gases. The effect has spread to the US too with a report that “much of the particulate pollution over Los Angeles originates in China” (Khan & Yardley, para 8). The International Energy Agency estimates that “China could become the emissions leader by the end of this year” (Khan & Yardley, para 10).
Since 75% of China’s energy needs are supplied by coal-fired plants, they become the primary source of air pollution. A spurt in the automobile industry and increasing car sales are leading to road congestions, which coupled with bad quality of car fuel are the other added factors for the increase in air pollution. The scarcity of water, especially in Northern China poses to be the greatest challenge to Chinese authorities. To counter the scarcity, the authorities have launched a river networking project which is slated to cost over $60 billion. The idea is to harness the excess waters of the Yangtze River to replenish the Yellow River which perennially suffers from lack of water and the formation of silt. Despite the obvious scarcity, conservation of water is not high on the agenda and industries consume enormous quantities of water far in excess of what is consumed by similar industries in the West.
This fast growth of air and water pollution has taken place because of a rapid shift from small-scale private industries to heavy industries which are inefficient. The spurt of growth is not restricted to just the heavy industries but extends to the construction business also where Chinese businesses have built more premises than those found in the United States of America. These buildings lack insulation and require double the amount of energy to heat or cool than similar buildings in the west.
To obviate the effects of pollution, a simple solution could be found in just reducing the overall economic growth so that pollution can be controlled. This course of action is not acceptable to the Chinese leaders as it could lead to social instability and loss of profits for the businesses which in the ultimate analysis could spell the end of Communist Party rule in China. The Chinese government has also shied away from agreeing to accept any compulsory limit on its carbon dioxide emissions. According to their logic, it is the western countries that have been responsible for the maximum emission of carbon dioxide and therefore have to be the first ones to cut emissions. The government has tried to put in some half-hearted measures to reduce pollution with no significant success as the enforcement lacks conviction and is often marred by corruption.
References
Khan, Joseph, & Yardley, Jim. (August 26, 2007). As China Roars, Pollution Reaches.
Deadly Extremes. The New York Times. 2008. Web.