Should China continue to invest in alternative energy to reduce smog?

Personal Background• Lived in China two separate times and have an interest in alternative energy

Background on Modern Chinese Development

Rise of the Free Market“A booming domestic economy,

rapid urbanization, increased export processing, and the Chinese people's voracious appetite for cars are increasing the country's demand for oil and natural gas, industrial and construction materials, foreign capital and technology.” (Jianhai and Zweig 2005)

(China Daily 2013)

316 Million

1.25 Billion

1.37 Billion

USA

Indi

aCh

ina

11

60

160

Relationship between Population and Number of cities# of Cities with a Population of 1 Mill or more

(Nations Online 2013)

Air Quality Index Map Accumulated on 9 November 2014(AQICN 2014)

(Mikael Bae 2012)

(Zhou 2010)

(Bae 2012) (Xinhua 2012)

PROS

Abated Health FactorsSmog is a collection of ground level ozone

caused by the previous factors mentionedOzone can irritate the respiratory systemReduction in lung functionAggravation of existing respiratory

conditionsDamage and inflame the lining of the lungsThere is testing going on showing a

suppression of immune systems ability to fight infection

Loss of Vitamin DSmog acne and blisters(EPA 1999)

Economic Benefits“If half of the biomass resources were used

appropriately, the benefits from biomass energy use could reach nearly USD 120 billion. Furthermore, if advanced biomass combustion techniques were used, the energy transformation efficiency could be improved by 35-40%” (Guo and Li 2008)

“The government recognizes that domestic energy consumption from now through 2020 could be reduced by a quarter if less coal is burned and efficiencies in the burgeoning transportation and building sectors are enhanced.” (Grumbine 2007)

Environmental Benefits“Biomass energy is considered to

be a clean energy resource because the amount of contaminant materials is only 10% of that in coal.” (Guo and Li 2008)

“Chinese officials are preparing to impose fuel-economy standards on own cars for the first-time, with stricter rules that prevail the US to reduce emissions.” (Ellison 2004)

CONS

Major Geographic Disadvantages

“Beijing is a prisoner of geography: Mountains to the west and north trap emissions.” (Stone 2008)

“Increases in the scale of urbanization are dramatically reducing natural vegetation and introducing nonnative species in and around rapidly developing ‘city clusters.’” (Grumbine 2007)

“The Three Gorges dam stands as an example of a potential ecological disaster.” (Li and Shao 2006)

(JYL Culture Media 2007)

(NASA 2006)

They Cannot Cultivate the Crops i) Limited techniques for selection and

cultivation of energy plants and low bioenergy use efficiency

ii) Difficulties in collection of bioenergy materials due to widely scattered distribution and limited/costly facilities for bioenergy production

iii) Lack of basic scientific information and technical support and lack of regional planning on bioenergy development and associated supportive policies, and

iv) Low economic interest and lack of public awareness. “ (Guo and Li 2008)

Low on Gov’t Concern List“The city clusters have major advantages

in terms of regional economic development: the drop in GDP due to environmental pollution resulting from such rapid economic growth has largely been ignored.” (Li and Shao 2006)

“Despite calls by Prime Minister WenJiabao and other politicians to cut consumption of energy and other resources, there is little sign of this appetite abating.” (Jianhai and Zweig 2005)

Cloud Seeding: Hiding the Problem

(De Roche 2006)

Fashion: Commodification

(Co 2013)

(Quirky China News 2014)

(Mumbrella 2014)

Personal Input

SourcesAQICN (Creator). 2014. China’s Real-time Air Quality Index Visual [Map]. Retrieved November 9, 2014 from http://aqicn.org/map/china/.

Bae, Mikael (Creator). 2012. Major Chinese Cities Map [Map], Retrieved November 8, 2014 from: http://www.china-mike.com/china-travel-tips/tourist-maps/major-chinese-cities-map/

China Daily [Photograph]. 2013. Beijing's smog mainly caused by industrial pollution [Graph], Retrieved 8 November 2014 from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-12/30/content_17206080.htm

Co, Emily (Photography). 2013. 7 Types of Masks to Fend Off the Beijing Smog [Photograph], Retrieved November 9, 2014 from: http://www.absolutelyfobulous.com/2013/02/01/7-types-of-masks-to-fend-off-the-beijing-smog/.

De Roche, A. (Creator). 2006. Cloud Seeding Basics [Diagram], Retrieved on November 9, 2014 from http://theblanketeffect. com/2006/11/cloud-seeding-basics.html.

Ellison, Katherine. “China: Land of the Rising Smog.” Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Apr., 2004), p. 168.

 

Sources Pt 2EPA. (1999). Smog-Who Does it Hurt: What You Need to Know About Ozone and Your Health. Washington, DC: Air and Radiation.

Grumbine, Edward R. “China’s Emergence and the Prospects for Global Sustainability.” BioScience, Vol. 57, No. 3 (March 2007), pp. 249-255. Guo, Qinfeng, Li, Zhi’an, Ren, Hai, and Wang, Quan. “Bioenergy: Future Direction of China's Energy and Environment Integrated Strategy?” Ambio, Vol. 37, No. 2 (Mar., 2008), pp. 136-138. Jianhai, Bi and Zweig, David. “China’s Global Hunt for Energy.” Foreign Affairs, 48(5) (Oct 2005), pp 25-38.

JYL Culture Media (Creator). 2007. Agricultural Regions [Map], Retrieved November 10, 2014 from http://www.agritourschina.com/agriculturalregions.htm. Li, Wenjun, Shao, Min, Tang, Xiaoyan, and Zhang, Yuanhang. “City Clusters in China: Air and Surface Water Pollution.” Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Vol. 4, No. 7 (Sept 2006), pp. 353-361.  

Sources Pt 3NASA (Photographer). 2006. Three Gorges River and Photo Gallery [Photograph/Timelapse], Retrieved November 10, 2014 from http://www.chinatravelca.com/places/three-gorges/.

Mumbrella (Image). 2014. Max Factor launches contest to find China’s most beautiful women wearing pollution masks [Advertisement], Retrieved on November 9, 2014 from http://www.mumbrella.asia/2014/03/max-factor-invites-chinese-women-beautify-pollution-masks/.

Nations Online (Information). 2013. Population figures by country [Metrics], Retrieved 9 November 2014 from http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/population-by-country.htm

Quirk China News (Photographer). 2014. How’s he going to kiss the bride? Chinese couple pose in GAS MASKS amid choking smog on their wedding [Photograph], Retrieved November 10, 2014 from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2569197/Chinese-couple-dont-let-smog-ruin-wedding-day-happily-pose-photos-wearing-GAS-MASKS.html.  Stone, Richard. “Beijing’s Marathon Run to Clean Foul Air Nears Finish Line.” Science, Vol. 321, No. 5889 (Aug. 1, 2008), pp. 636-637.

Sources Pt 4Watts, Jonathan (Photograph). 2008. Energy in China: 'We call it the Three Gorges of the sky. The dam there taps water, we tap wind' [Photograph], Retrieved November 9, 2014 from: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/jul/25/renewableenergy.alternativeenergy. Xinhua (Photographer). 2012. Three Gorges Dam hits record peak flood [Photograph] Retrieved November 9, 2014 from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/photo/2012-07/25/content_15615232_4.htm. Zhou, Jianxin (Photographer). 2010. Shining light on China’s solar energy [Photograph] Retrieved November 9, 2014 from http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2010-09/27/content_11354780.htm.