Clean and Dirty: China’s Energy Binge
ELECTRICITY FROM NONFOSSIL FUELS In 2011 (billions of kilowatt-hours).
AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH 2005 to 2011. China’s growth rate in nonfossil electricity far exceeded that of the U.S.
%
%
319
687
+3
+10
U.S.
CHINA
Hydro
790
83
+0.2
+9
Nuclear
120
73
+37
+82
Wind
+22
+85
2
3
Solar
FOSSIL FUELS CONSUMED National totals in 2011 (quadrillion B.T.U.’s).
AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE 2005 to 2011.
20
76
–2
+8
U.S.
CHINA
Coal
35
20
–2
+7
Oil
25
5
+2
+19
Natural
gas
BEIJING — After my physical exam this year, the doctor showed me his findings.
Next to an irregularity he had noted concerning lung function, I was surprised to see the words “air pollution.”
It was first time this had ever appeared in my health report.
This reminded me of the uproar in China in June of last year regarding PM 2.5 — the airborne particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less that are particularly harmful to our health.
This reminded me of the uproar in China in June of last year regarding PM 2.5 — the airborne particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less that are particularly harmful to our health.
Reports of high PM 2.5 levels, monitored and revealed by the U.S. Embassy and various consulates across China, fueled public concerns about air pollution.
But the government went on the defensive, with Wu Xiaoqing, vice minister for environmental protection, rebuking the United States and claiming its monitoring had violated international conventions and Chinese law.
After a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry issued a similar protest, a joker on the Internet took things a step further.
After a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry issued a similar protest, a joker on the Internet took things a step further.
“As everyone knows, in keeping with international norms, U.S. Embassies count as American territory. Data obtained in such locations show only that U.S. air quality is poor.”
Prior to these PM 2.5 reports, hardly anyone in China except for a few environmental professionals knew that these tiny particles can directly enter the bronchial tubes, interfere with gas exchange in the lungs and cause a variety of serious health problems.
Prior to these PM 2.5 reports, hardly anyone in China except for a few environmental professionals knew that these tiny particles can directly enter the bronchial tubes, interfere with gas exchange in the lungs and cause a variety of serious health problems.
While Chinese officials criticized America and minimized the dangers of PM 2.5, Chinese citizens went online to vent their dissatisfaction with the government.
Face masks sold out and cans of compressed air were hawked on the streets.
Hazardous smog has enveloped many areas of China.
Hazardous smog has enveloped many areas of China.
Last January the smog was so thick in Anji County in Zhejiang Province that a fire there went unnoticed by local residents for three hours.
Last week, visibility in the northeastern city of Harbin was less than 10 meters, forcing the closure of all schools.
As China’s two most important political congresses were being held in the early part of the year, and the new president and prime minister were named, Beijing and other northern cities were shrouded in toxic smog, setting records in some areas for the most days with hazardous air.
As China’s two most important political congresses were being held in the early part of the year, and the new president and prime minister were named, Beijing and other northern cities were shrouded in toxic smog, setting records in some areas for the most days with hazardous air.
The pollution was a hot topic for everyone while the congresses were under way.
It’s widely assumed that air purifiers have been installed in our leaders’ offices and homes, but they still have to go outside, and when they do they have to breathe the same polluted air as everyone else.
It’s widely assumed that air purifiers have been installed in our leaders’ offices and homes, but they still have to go outside, and when they do they have to breathe the same polluted air as everyone else.
Maybe because our leaders are also suffering from the effects of pollution, or maybe because there’s increasing pressure from society, our government has made a sudden about-face in its attitude toward PM 2.5, no longer chafing about monitoring by the Americans or minimizing the hazards.
In the summer, Zhou Shengxian, the environment minister, announced that the total budget for the next five years for measures to combat air pollution would amount to about $280 billion.
In the summer, Zhou Shengxian, the environment minister, announced that the total budget for the next five years for measures to combat air pollution would amount to about $280 billion.
He did not provide specifics on how this money would be spent, indicating only that thousands of PM 2.5 monitoring stations would be added per year.
The safety guideline for PM 2.5 set by the World Health Organization is 25 micrograms per cubic meter, whereas the Chinese government sets a limit of 75 micrograms per cubic meter.
The safety guideline for PM 2.5 set by the World Health Organization is 25 micrograms per cubic meter, whereas the Chinese government sets a limit of 75 micrograms per cubic meter.
The official explanation for this gap is that China is still a developing country and so cannot yet reach the W.H.O. targets.
The public’s understanding takes the form of a joke: A fish falls into a vat of soybean sauce, and goes around complaining about how awful the environment is.
A big fat maggot comes crawling over.
“Why don’t you shut the hell up?” it curses. “You can’t judge a bean-sauce vat by the standards of a fishbowl!”
Reducing air pollution involves a lot more than just setting up more PM 2.5 monitoring stations.
It’s clear that steel and chemical plants are the main source of air pollution.
The government has in recent years closed down some small privately owned plants, but it’s the large and medium-sized state-owned plants that are the main culprits, and the government has done little to reduce their impact, merely limiting the number of new plants.
That’s because new environmental regulations could be detrimental to the economy, at least in the short term, and our leaders’ biggest fear is that economic pain could affect the stability of their rule.
In the Mao era, the government maintained its authority by coercive indoctrination, whereas today economic growth is one of the keys to holding power.
In the Mao era, the government maintained its authority by coercive indoctrination, whereas today economic growth is one of the keys to holding power.
Thus, some cities’ main response to air pollution is to restrict drivers to using their cars on alternating days, based on their license plate numbers, and we see half-baked policies instead of serious action.
One of the measures for alleviating air pollution in Beijing, for example, is banning outdoor barbecue stalls.
Hebei Province, which surrounds Beijing, is China’s top steel-producing province.
Hebei Province, which surrounds Beijing, is China’s top steel-producing province.
Steel plants play a big role in air and water pollution, but the city of Cangzhou’s answer to the problem is an anti-smoking campaign.
A Hebei official newspaper, Yanzhao Dushi Bao, reported in July that local officials in Cangzhou held a public meeting pledging their commitment to the anti-smoking cause.
A Hebei official newspaper, Yanzhao Dushi Bao, reported in July that local officials in Cangzhou held a public meeting pledging their commitment to the anti-smoking cause.
With smoke billowing from the chimneys of factories in the distance, officials promoted the slogan: “Curbing air pollution starts with me!”
On Oct. 12, I posted the following message on my microblog: “Since my arrival in Hong Kong four days ago, I’ve been staying in an apartment by the sea. Yesterday I developed a throbbing headache, but I don’t have cold symptoms. I guess I’ve just been living in Beijing so long that clean air doesn’t suit me.”
On Oct. 12, I posted the following message on my microblog: “Since my arrival in Hong Kong four days ago, I’ve been staying in an apartment by the sea. Yesterday I developed a throbbing headache, but I don’t have cold symptoms. I guess I’ve just been living in Beijing so long that clean air doesn’t suit me.”
Many readers came up with the same treatment plan — that I hurry up and breathe some car exhaust.
For years “air pollution” had been trying to claim a place in my health report.
For years “air pollution” had been trying to claim a place in my health report.
At last, it has.
Sad to say, it will be much more difficult to purge this term from the report than it was to let it in.
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