Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions in China
Greenhouse emissions are tied to several factors, including a country’s size, population, energy sources, and energy use in manufacturing and other industries. China is a country that quickly started the industrialization process, which required significant electricity generation. In 2015, China derived “64 percent of its energy from coal” (Rowntree et al., 2017, p. 455). At the same time, the country uses oil in larger quantities than any other nation on the planet, excluding the United States (Rowntree et al., 2017). These energy sources are not renewable and are linked to the production of greenhouse gas (GHG). Thus, the country’s economic growth and industrialization history strongly affected its energy consumption and led to an environmental crisis.
China has introduced a number of initiatives to combat this issue. Most importantly, the country has started investing in renewable energy sources, including solar, nuclear, and wind power. As a result, “in 2015 China’s grid-connected solar power grew 73.7 percent, and its grid-connected wind power grew 33.5 percent” (Rowntree et al., 2017, p. 455). In 2014, China entered into an agreement with the US that its emissions would not continue exceeding after 2030 (Rowntree et al., 2017). The decision to slow down the economic expansion and stop building coal plants should also contribute to positive changes in the emission rates.
Forestation in Japan and China
The varying levels of forestation in the two countries can be explained by their history and culture. In Japan, forestation has been a vital part of conservation efforts for centuries, which has resulted in strict laws against chopping down trees for agricultural and industrial needs (Rowntree et al., 2017). The country’s government tries to balance the rate of deforestation with reforestation by planting new trees in place of used wood. Moreover, the country’s climate is also a positive factor that helps support its lush forests. Japan’s temperature zones vary greatly, but it has a rainy and mild climate overall, leading to proliferating forests.
In contrast, China has many problems with its climate and industrialization that result in deforestation. First, China did not enforce conservation laws historically, which meant that farmers, manufacturers, and local governments could easily remove trees for their needs. Second, as the country went through rapid industrialization, it needed to place new infrastructure and clean out forested areas for development (Rowntree et al., 2017). As China also uses coal for fuel, the trees were often chopped down for this purpose as well.
Floods and Droughts in China
Similar to other issues, China’s problems of droughts and floods are linked to its climate, location, and economic changes. The northern part of China is most vulnerable to these disasters. This area has gone through a long period of deforestation. The soil there cannot be used to quickly grow new trees and plants, which could prevent some flooding (Rowntree et al., 2017). Therefore, the problems of deforestation, flooding, and droughts are directly connected.
However, the most damage to this part of the country is inflicted by the Huang He (the Yellow River) – the flooding of this river has led to “the world’s two deadliest recorded natural disasters” (Rowntree et al., 2017, p. 452). The river frequently changes its course due to erosion, and the Chinese government pours significant resources into controlling this issue. Moreover, as much water has been used for irrigation and manufacturing, China now faces regular droughts. Here, the problem is also apparent for the Huang He – the river can dry out entirely during some seasons (Rowntree et al., 2017). Finally, the Chinese government has drained many lakes to free up more land for farming, resulting in unstable flow from rivers connected to these bodies of water.
Reference
Rowntree, L., Lewis, M, Price, M., & Wyckoff, W. (2017). Diversity amid globalization: World regions, environment, development (7th ed.). Pearson Education.