A Brief History of Chinese Pollution
The Chinese economic reform brings numerous opportunities for China to grow. In 1980, the GDP (gross domestic product) of China is merely 202 million dollars. Last year, the GDP of China has risen up to 11.8 trillion dollars, which is the second highest in the world. The data of Chinese economy is appealing and astonishing, but the environmental issues from China’s modernization has also burdened the people of China. According to Thomas Harwood, a eco city designer, 16 of 20 most polluted cities are in China. China’s environmental concerns range from the nature to human beings, and the most severe problems are water resources, deforestation, air pollution, biodiversity, cancer village and population.
The headline of Beijing’s smog has occupied the Chinese news agency and international news agency last year. Because China now burns 47% of the world’s coal, which causes a great amount of air pollution. According to PM2.5, the air quality scale of EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), any pollution rating above 300 means the air is unsafe. Currently, the rating of Beijing is 328 and it has reached 900 in the year of 2013. Beijing, the capital of China, already has such severe air pollution problem and the government has set intense regulation. On the other hand, the smaller cities with less reinforced environmental law has even more hazardous air pollution problems. The air pollution in China is caused by two main reasons: the un eco-friendly energy sources and weak enforcement of the legislation.
We always think environmental problems are inevitable in modernization, but this is actually not true. If we look the growth of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, they all have experienced the environmental burden during industrialization. However, this is not necessary true anymore to the industrialization of China. In 2016, China can modify its energy sources into renewable, more advanced and more eco-friendly sources such as solar, wind and nuclear. Using these energy sources can immediately reduce the air pollution and endure the effect of the energy. Furthermore, China has good legislation in environmental problem, but the government has never barely enforced these laws. Each province, city or village ignore the law for a greater economic growth. Last year, after the media highlighted the pollution in China, the government has taken stronger enforcement of the legislation. The consequence is coal burning has declined and the pollution has reduced.
Industrialization has brought China numerous opportunities and provided an economic boost, but it has brought a side effect- pollution. To combat the environmental issue, China needs to take action. Even though the pollution in China is hazardous and severe, China can reduce its pollution with a good plan and good execution of environmental law.
Citation:
Beijing US Embassy Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI). "Beijing US Embassy, Beijing Air Pollution: Real-time PM2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI)." Aqicn.org. Beijing US Embassy Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI), n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
GreenOffOn Eco Social Community. "What's Up, China?" GreenOffOn Eco Social Community, 21 June 2013. Web.
Lallanilla, By Marc. "China's Top 6 Environmental Concerns." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
Sedghi, Amy. "China GDP: How It Has Changed since 1980." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 23 Mar. 2012. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
