How efective has the Chinese government been at resolving the environmental and energy problem? Ater China’s opening up in 197! CC" has been ta#ing the easy way out o using cheap heap but but poll pollut utin ing g sour ources ces o ener energy gy!! giv giving ing ris rise to the the situa ituattion ion o enviro environme nmenta ntall degrada degradatio tion n that that grew grew to become become critic critically ally severe severe over over time$ time$ %hil %hile e gove goverrnmen nmenta tall efor eforts ts have have been been e&pe e&pend nded ed to cut cut bac# bac# on Chin China’ a’s s environmental and energy ine'ciency problems! the results achieved are a ar cry rom the eforts put in$ Hence! this essay see#s to argue that China has larg largely ely not not been been su succ cces ess sul ul becau because se desp despit ite e many many prog progre ress sses es made made and and innovations designed at resolving its environmental woes! continued unbridled economic growth! corruption and lac# o respect or the rule o law are reasons why China’s success remained limited$ (he Chinese government has displayed great political determination at improving the environmental conditions and problem o energy ine'ciency in the country$ (his is related to sustaining the political legitimacy o the country and the promotion o its international image$ Hu )intao in the *eventeenth "arty Congress in year +,, has called or due attention to be paid to the environment as China progresses$ Hu’s -scienti.c concept o development/ too stressed the need to develop the economy in an environmentally riendly manner$ (he 0reen 0" was implemented to assess local o'cials not only on their perormance at promot promoting ing the econom economy y but also also their their eforts eforts at prote protecti cting ng the enviro environme nment$ nt$ China was able to ensure that 2ei3ing’s s#y stays clear and remove tones o algae rom the coasts o 4ingdao prior to the +,, 5lympics 0ames$ (he +,1, *hanghai 6&po is designed to be a showcase or China’s achievements in the green technology$ Chinese ministries have been considering the implementation o an environmental ta& to cut down on pollution level$ rastic measures underta#en to ensure environmental conservation and energy e'c e'cienc iency y hav have attai ttain ned some ome succ uccesse esses s$ (o stem tem the mome moment ntum um o desert deserti.c i.cati ation on and soil soil erosio erosion n leadin leading g to oods! oods! "remie "remierr 8hu ong3i ong3i banned banned logging o old trees$ Huge programs at reorestation and reconstruction o la#es were also embar#ed$ High:sulphur coals are heavily ta&ed to discourage their usage$ ;anuacturing and distribution o thinned plastic bags were banned in Chin China$ a$ (he (he %ater ater "ollut ollutio ion n
n +,1,! Chinese company! *untech! is already the world’s largest manuacturer o solar panels$ 0ove 0overn rnme ment nt’s ’s efor eforts ts at educ educat atin ing g the the publ public ic on bein being g envi enviro ronm nmen enta tall cons consci ciou ousn snes ess s and and ener energy gy cons conser erva vati tion on have have achi achiev eved ed some some su succ cces ess$ s$ Advertisements and other programs launched on the media strived to encourage its audience to be more environmentally riendly in their liestyle$ Celebrities
Trusted by over 1 million members
Try Scribd FREE for 30 days to access over 125 million titles without ads or interruptions! Start Free Trial Cancel Anytime.
Trusted by over 1 million members
Try Scribd FREE for 30 days to access over 125 million titles without ads or interruptions! Start Free Trial Cancel Anytime.
beca became me role ole mode models ls to Chin Chines ese e yout youths hs in the the coun countr try’ y’s s bid bid to prom promot ote e environmental awareness$ *urveys have shown that more Chinese! as compared with the Americans! are willing to sacri.ce some comorts o modern living in order to protect the environment$ ;ore 05s are ormed each year to monitor and highlight concerns o victims sufering rom pollution$ espite eforts o the government! China is still home to some o the world’s most polluted polluted cities and energy energy wastage remains remains high$ Accordin According g to the %H5! China has seven o the ten most:polluted cities in the world$ Acid rain continues to all on about @, o China’s total land area$ China’s water is polluted polluted also by the disposal o large Buantities o organic and to&ic waste orm households! agriculture and industry$ %ater pollution has led to severe water shortages in some provinces$ (his is evident in the +,, 5lympics where guaranteed resh water supply to 2ei3ing has resulted in drought around the capitals’ surrounding countrysid countryside$ e$ -Cancer -Cancer villages/ are dotted dotted along the polluted polluted rivers o the inland prov provin ince ces$ s$ ural ural unr unrests ests caus caused ed by resen esentm tmen entt agai agains nstt envi enviro ronm nmen enta tall contamination are commonplace$ >nstances o environmental degradation and usage o ine'cient energy continue as the annual double:digit Chinese economic growth raises energy consumption and churns out more polluting industries$ Hu has mentioned in the *eventeenth "arty Congress that despite needs or a holistic national development! China must continue to sustain its high economic growth$ *uch has served to deeat any ongoin ongoing g attemp attempts ts at improvi improving ng the countr country’s y’s enviro environme nmenta ntall condit condition ions$ s$ 0iven 0iven the govern government ment’s ’s curre current nt drive drive to hasten hasten indust industria riali=a li=atio tion n into into inland inland China! residents living in the "earl iver elta sufered rom air pollution every day$ 4uality o air remained poor in ma3or developed cities such as 0uang=hou$ ne'cient and rising energy consumption is also an obstacle to the eforts at improvi improving ng the enviro environme nment$ nt$ Chines Chinese e energ energy y consum consumpti ption on has been been woeull woeully y ine'cient! even when compared with >ndia$ (his results in huge wastage and wides widespr prea ead d envir environ onme ment ntal al conta contamin minat atio ion$ n$ apid apid urba urbani ni=a =ati tion on and and a more more aDue aDuent nt lies liesty tyle le or or the the avera average ge citi citi=e =en n also also mean mean high higher er nati nation onal al ener energy gy consumption$ 6ach year! millions o cars are added to the roads o China and air pollution is worsened$ ;ost actories and many households are still dependent on cheap coals or the generation o energy$ energy$ >n conclusion! governmental eforts have been e&pended to cut bac# on China’s environmental and energy ine'ciency problems$ However! the results achieved
Trusted by over 1 million members
Try Scribd FREE for 30 days to access over 125 million titles without ads or interruptions! Start Free Trial Cancel Anytime.
corruption and lac# o respect or the rule o law are reasons why China’s success remained limited$
