China becoming a new green leader?

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« Boeing glides to energy efficiency with "perfect" flight | Main | Getting the low-down on stormwater control »

China becoming a new green leader?

Yep, you read that headline right. A new article in Yale Environment 360 by journalist Fred Pearce expends about a dozen grafs first reviewing the environmental case against China -- the Chinese really are building two coal-fired power plants every week -- and then defending the country as a newcomer to industrialization.

But then Pearce gets into the meat of his point:

China also built more wind turbines than any other country. And its biogas and solar power industries are also growing fast. China's green credentials are surprisingly good in many respects. China has long led the world in aquaculture. By raising most of its fish in artificial ponds it has done a huge good turn for the world's ocean fisheries.

On an island at the mouth of the Yangtze river near Shanghai, they are currently building the world's first eco-city, powered by renewable electricity, with citywide water recycling and plans for a car-free transport system.

There's more: "Green construction" methods to build a railway to Tibet. A ban on plastic bags in shops. A massive effort -- which any nationwide initiative in China is, because of its size -- on recycling.

The point here is that any improvements made by the Chinese, by definition, make a dent in one-fifth of any worldwide problem.

We can see at least one place where Pearce has glossed over a problem. He writes:

Some people worry that much of the trash from Europe and North America gets shipped from Los Angeles, Rotterdam and Seattle to China for recycling. They seem to think that the Chinese secretly landfill it. Why would they do that? In fact, China is so desperate for raw materials to keep its industrial revolution going that it finds uses for almost any waste it can get its hands on: plastic packaging, the metal in old computers and other electronic goods.

As we reported recently, the tide of toxic trash making its way to unsafe "recycling" operations in China and elsewhere in the Third World is on the upswing.

But we also should point out that Pearce maintains a journalist's show-me attitude:

I don't want to be too starry-eyed. China's pollution problems are extremely serious, and they have global repercussions. But my guess is that China will be forced into adopting ever-greener policies. . . . Call me an incorrigible optimist if you like, but it is at least possible that the two global environmental pariahs -- China and the United States -- could soon be leading the charge to a more climate-friendly future.

Pearce's story is worth a read. If his thesis is correct, perhaps we do have a right to be hopeful.

Posted by at November 14, 2008 1:02 p.m.
Categories: Climate change, Consumers and the environment, Energy, Global warming

Comments

#216663

Posted by perecorp at 11/14/08 1:15 p.m.

Oh please. All the Chinese do is counterfiet ideas. After 2000 years they are unable to come up with any unique or original ideas on their own. When will you get off the Chinese Bandwagon?

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#216684

Posted by Will in Seattle at 11/14/08 1:51 p.m.

Meanwhile, in the real world, there's a giant gas and pollution cloud hanging over Asia killing hundreds of thousands of people each year.

We'll believe China's green when they DO IT. I've seen how their biofuel recycling programs, once the paper is written and the news is published, get left disused, as there isn't any longterm government support for real change.

Actions speak a lot louder than words.

Would you like some melamine with that?

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#216685

Posted by RationalThought at 11/14/08 1:54 p.m.

Here's an opportunity to legitimately use the phrase "lipstick on a pig".

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#216703

Posted by voiceofreason1950 at 11/14/08 2:21 p.m.

The ONLY green in China is the Trillions of US Greenbacks. How about lipstick on a "DUFOUS"?

Pay their workers a "fair" wage and its all BROWN.

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#216818

Posted by edpatton at 11/14/08 4:14 p.m.

China's greatest achievement was putting in place a one child per family policy.If they had not done that in the 70's there would be another 400 million Chinese on
this planet. The rest of the world should follow suit.
If Senator Clinton becomes Sec of State ask her to go to the U.Nations and ask them to set up a worldwide,voluntary,free sterilization program
with substantial cash incentives after one or two children.And while you are at it write the Pope and demand he change his mind on birth control. If he doesn't do it quit giving money and leaving estates to
any church until they see the light. Our planet is in great peril!!!!!!!!!!!!Give your dough to planned parenthood.Good luck!

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#216835

Posted by citizen at 11/14/08 4:34 p.m.

The only things China is a leader in is exporting poisonous products.

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#216965

Posted by unregistered user at 11/14/08 11:34 p.m.

perecorp and others: if you are so stupid and ignorant that you don't know what you talk about, let me give you a little lesson: without the Chinese invention of paper, the civilization as we know it today wouldn't exist! Do you know the Chinese invented fire powder, compass, printing etc? Go do some googling,and you will find out how stupid you are!

Next time if you are not sure you know anything, you better shut up, rather than humilate us Americans!

Mike in Seattle

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#222462

Posted by unregistered user at 11/28/08 2:56 p.m.

I agree that China has a lot to improve but so is us. US is till the world's largest polluter and we should clean up our own backyard first before complain about neighbor's lawn.

Willian from CA

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#223866

Posted by unregistered user at 12/2/08 7:18 p.m.

Yeah no kidding, brainwashed yanks. Whining when you are the most pig-like people on the face of the earth really is unwarranted. Now, the term "lipstick on a pig"... would that refer to your actions and living styles? Like a pig? I really do agree with Ed though. Maybe all the posters above him should be sterilized?

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