China The “new workshop of the world.” Growth and Pollution

asia/china-burns-much-more-coal-than- reported-complicating-climate- talks.html?_r=0 asia/china-burns-much-more-coal-than- reported-complicating-climate- talks.html?_r=0 New York Times article about recent coal consumption statistics in China

GA study sheet - Coal Why has China’s coal consumption increased so much?

China’s growth over the past 20+ years has been rapid. Such that, China’s GDP is expected to outgrow that of the USA in

Shanghai, China. Before & after.

China’s GDP per capita. How do average incomes compare to those in the USA? Today; the average Chinese worker earns 22% of his/her equivalent in the USA. Remember: GDP per capita is an ‘AVERAGE’ & will disguise / hide significant inequalities in the Chinese labour market. USA China

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in China. China has received very high levels of FDI, fuelling rapid industrial growth.

Where? Pearl River Delta Region Much of this growth has been in the Pearl River Delta area, the focal point of China’s inward FDI. Pearl River Delta is roughly the size of Belgium.

Pearl River Delta Environmental problems The environmental problems in the region include; a)Air pollution, b)Water pollution, and c)Deforestation. Because; High concentration of manufacturing / factories, and Huge increase in car ownership.

What is particulate matter, PM2.5 ? 1)Particulate Matter PM2.5 refers to the diameter measured in microns of particulates such as ammonia, carbon, nitrates and sulfate - which are small enough to pass into the bloodstream and cause diseases such as emphysema and cancer. 2)Airborne PM2.5 is considered one of the most harmful pollutants to human health. 3)The World Health Organisation (WHO) considers a "safe" maximum – to be 25 micrograms.

Why? The main source of PM2.5 is China’s massive and growing use of coal for its power generation.

China Widespread environmental problems.

/cat10/sub66/item392.html

China’s Cancer Villages. Lung cancer remains the most common - and deadliest - cancer in the world, with an estimated 1.8 million new cases and 1.6 million deaths in More than one-third of such cases occurred in China The latest edition of the World Cancer Report said China accounted for 21.8% of the global total of newly diagnosed cases, & 26.9% of the world's total cancer deaths - about 2.2 million.

China - Guangzhou Due to the city's increasing urban and economic development, most low wage labour has now moved away from the Guangzhou to other regions of China.

Guangzhou – Acid rain acid rain (precipitation pH value<5.0) Very Acid Acid

Acid rain - & its affects. Acid Rain – The consequences ; 1)Kills plants and trees, 2)Kills fish and organisms living in the water systems, 3)Causes lung & breathing problems in children, 4)Causes chemical weathering on buildings & statues made from Limestone & Marble. 5)Causes birth abnormalities in water based organisms.

Danger in the tap? "China's drinking water has become an extremely dangerous matter," Tests on tap water have found Benzene present at 200 micrograms of per litre of water. The national safety standard is 10 micrograms. Benzene is a petroleum product, originally manufactured from coal tar that is used as a component in numerous industrial and consumer products. Benzene is known to be a human carcinogen.

Global impact of Chinese pollution.

In 2008, China became the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, ahead of long-time leader the United States. However, the average American still has a much larger carbon footprint than the average Chinese person. As China's economy continues to grow, and especially as the population becomes wealthier and looks to western standards of living as a goal, the projected emissions from China alone could doom any hopes of keeping climate change within manageable ranges.

China – the world’s largest CO 2 emitter. Because China was considered a developing economy when the Kyoto Protocol was written in the 1990s, China is not obligated to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the treaty. 13½% of China's 45% rise in greenhouse gas emissions between 2002 and 2005 can be attributed to export production for Western countries. (Core & periphery – exporting pollution). Homework Task: What are the likely projections for China’s emissions? Explain your reasons. ?

China – growth – pollution; WEBSITES. 1)China's Lanzhou Warns Drinking Water Contains Dangerous Levels Of Benzene benzene_n_ html 2)China's Drinking Water in Crisis 3)China the hardest hit by global surge in cancer, says WHO report global-surge-cancer-says-who-report 4)Biggest Emitter China Best on Climate, Figueres Says china-best-on-climate-change-figueres-says.html

What are the alternatives? Nuclear Nuclear power has an important role, especially in the coastal areas remote from the coalfields and where the economy is developing rapidly. Generally, nuclear plants can be built close to centres of demand, whereas suitable wind and hydro sites are remote from demand. What about renewables? Watch this Watch this – renewables are becoming much more important UN Green economy – renewable energy in China (same as the link above)renewable

Mainland China has 30 nuclear power reactors in operation, 21 under construction, and more about to start construction. Additional reactors are planned, including some of the world's most advanced, to give more than a three-fold increase in nuclear capacity by and much more by The impetus for increasing nuclear power share in China is increasingly due to air pollution from coal-fired plants. China has become largely self-sufficient in reactor design and construction, but is making full use of western technology while adapting and improving it. China’s policy is to ‘go global’ with exporting nuclear technology including heavy components in the supply chain.

Energy policy and clean air While coal is the main energy source, most reserves are in the north or northwest and present an enormous logistical problem – nearly half the country's rail capacity is used in transporting coal. Because of the heavy reliance on old coal-fired plant, electricity generation accounts for much of the country's air pollution, which is a strong reason to increase nuclear share. China has overtaken the USA as the world's largest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions. China has shale gas resources, but much of it is in the northwest which is very arid, so water supply is a constraint. By 2035 the US Energy Information Administration expects China’s gas to come equally from conventional, coal bed and shale sources.