China is among the most successful emerging markets due to a boom in factories and industrial growth. The country has quickly become a manufacturing hub, making China the largest exporter and trading nation in the world. However, China is also the worst carbon dioxide emitter and polluter, with a multitude of smog filled cities. While industrialization has helped China attain a strong economy, it has caused an increase in the amount of pollution and toxic chemicals released into the air, ultimately taking a toll on the environment, health, government and overall well being of the population.
The rapid industrialization of China has created a pollution crisis due to many factors such as lenient government regulations, a heavy reliance on coal, and the increase in automobiles. The period of industrialization began in the 1970’s when China switched from a controlled market to a free market thus resulting in more freedom for business owners, local officials, and government regulations regarding the environment (International Monetary Fund). Before the rise of the coal industry, pollution was not a concern in China. However, with power in the hands of local officials, it became easier for factory owners to work around the few existing environmental laws, and the amount of smog released into the air increased. In fact, some local officials acknowledged that pollution is a growing issue, but chose not to address it, as according to journalist Ian Johnson, “it is [and was] forbidden to report on pollution in the city.” (Johnson). This behavior demonstrated by city officials in China reiterates that a failure to enforce strict environmental laws has led China into a pollution crisis. Furthermore, Chinese factories rely heavily on coal, causing China to account for over half the world’s coal consumption (US Energy Information Administration). This high consumption rate is concerning because according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, coal is the largest contributor to the world’s carbon dioxide emissions and toxic pollution, and is “the single greatest threat facing our climate” (UCS). Additionally, in an interview with China’s health minister and biologist Chen Zhu, it is revealed that the lethal smog kills up to 500,000 people a year, but until recently the Chinese government has tried its best censor information regarding deaths related to smog (Moore). This agreement within the scientific community, and the growing concern that China’s air is becoming unsafe to breathe, underscores that it is essential for China to begin solving the issue before it deteriorates further. Another factor worsening the pollution issue is the increase of automobiles as seen in a recent Bloomberg article, that explains how, “the vehicle population reached 240 million last year, and the 15.1 million new cars added last year were more than the entire car population at the end of 1999.” (Bloomberg). The emission of these newly added cars amounts to 31% of the pollution according to the state’s environmental agency (BBC). This accelerated increase in …show more content…
Pollution in China is particularly dangerous due to the tiny size of the pollutants which measure PM 2.5 on the air quality index scale, and can easily make their way into the lungs, causing asthma, stokes, lung disease, and heart attacks (Levin). The pollutants are 1/20 the size of what is deemed safe to breathe, and these tiny particles are responsible for around 2.1 million deaths in 2010 according to the Global Burden of Disease study (Moore). In addition to breathing the air, contaminants also travel into the bloodstream through polluted water and soil used for agriculture. Even before pollution became an issue, China was low on its water resources. However, the pollution only made it worse, and a recent study revealed, “the water [is] too polluted for use in agriculture and only half the water sources in urban areas are fit to drink.” (Economist). The toxins are contaminating the scarce resources China had to begin with, creating a shortage of safe food and water. Han is a resident of China’s most polluted city, Handan, who started an organic farm in the mountains because he realized, “People don’t trust the vegetables they buy in the city. They feel that they’re poisoned.” (Johnson). As people like Han begin to learn about the health risks of food grown in polluted areas, they set out to find healthier
The rapid industrialization of China has created a pollution crisis due to many factors such as lenient government regulations, a heavy reliance on coal, and the increase in automobiles. The period of industrialization began in the 1970’s when China switched from a controlled market to a free market thus resulting in more freedom for business owners, local officials, and government regulations regarding the environment (International Monetary Fund). Before the rise of the coal industry, pollution was not a concern in China. However, with power in the hands of local officials, it became easier for factory owners to work around the few existing environmental laws, and the amount of smog released into the air increased. In fact, some local officials acknowledged that pollution is a growing issue, but chose not to address it, as according to journalist Ian Johnson, “it is [and was] forbidden to report on pollution in the city.” (Johnson). This behavior demonstrated by city officials in China reiterates that a failure to enforce strict environmental laws has led China into a pollution crisis. Furthermore, Chinese factories rely heavily on coal, causing China to account for over half the world’s coal consumption (US Energy Information Administration). This high consumption rate is concerning because according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, coal is the largest contributor to the world’s carbon dioxide emissions and toxic pollution, and is “the single greatest threat facing our climate” (UCS). Additionally, in an interview with China’s health minister and biologist Chen Zhu, it is revealed that the lethal smog kills up to 500,000 people a year, but until recently the Chinese government has tried its best censor information regarding deaths related to smog (Moore). This agreement within the scientific community, and the growing concern that China’s air is becoming unsafe to breathe, underscores that it is essential for China to begin solving the issue before it deteriorates further. Another factor worsening the pollution issue is the increase of automobiles as seen in a recent Bloomberg article, that explains how, “the vehicle population reached 240 million last year, and the 15.1 million new cars added last year were more than the entire car population at the end of 1999.” (Bloomberg). The emission of these newly added cars amounts to 31% of the pollution according to the state’s environmental agency (BBC). This accelerated increase in …show more content…
Pollution in China is particularly dangerous due to the tiny size of the pollutants which measure PM 2.5 on the air quality index scale, and can easily make their way into the lungs, causing asthma, stokes, lung disease, and heart attacks (Levin). The pollutants are 1/20 the size of what is deemed safe to breathe, and these tiny particles are responsible for around 2.1 million deaths in 2010 according to the Global Burden of Disease study (Moore). In addition to breathing the air, contaminants also travel into the bloodstream through polluted water and soil used for agriculture. Even before pollution became an issue, China was low on its water resources. However, the pollution only made it worse, and a recent study revealed, “the water [is] too polluted for use in agriculture and only half the water sources in urban areas are fit to drink.” (Economist). The toxins are contaminating the scarce resources China had to begin with, creating a shortage of safe food and water. Han is a resident of China’s most polluted city, Handan, who started an organic farm in the mountains because he realized, “People don’t trust the vegetables they buy in the city. They feel that they’re poisoned.” (Johnson). As people like Han begin to learn about the health risks of food grown in polluted areas, they set out to find healthier