China: World’s Top Polluter?
Filed Under Environmental Issues |
The magnitude of China’s growth as an economic power can be seen through the growth of its greenhouse gas emissions. In 1950, China’s greenhouse gas emissions were about 1% of the global total. But in 2006, a Dutch study said that China overtook the United States as the world’s biggest greenhouse gas polluter.
Historically, China has been present at climate change discussions but has been exempted from targets because of its status as a developing country. With all of the new attention being paid to it as the world’s largest atmospheric polluter, China is becoming sensitive to its global profile as an environmental citizen.
Anyhow, like the U.S. and current Canadian governments, the Chinese regime admits that climate change is serious and real, but refuses to take committed global leadership. China’s National Climate Change Programme (their first) was released in June 2007; it proposes “carbon intensity” reductions as well as investing in new technologies and reforestation, but doesn’t indicate any hard targets.
Just to keep track of things, the country gets over two thirds of its energy through coal.
Since third world poverty still affects a few hundred million people in the country, meeting economic goals with environmental realities is going to require some radical new thinking.
See www.ccchina.gov.cn
Martine
