Climate Change and Pollution from China - Report Example

?Running Head: Climate Change and Pollution from China Climate Change and Pollution from China [Institute’s Climate Change and Pollution from China Introduction Pollution is the biggest side effect of increased world development and industrialization. Pollution is increasingly becoming the green-eyed monster that is more than interested and willing to destroy everything good that encounters it. It had contaminated everything be it the land to live and farm upon, air to breathe it, water to drink and irrigate farms. Traces of pollution are everywhere trying their best to damage our life in one way or another. In recent times, China has evolved as a greater threat to environmental safety of the world due to becoming the biggest emitter of green house gases. Khan and Yardley in their article, “As China roars, pollution reaches deadly extremes” (2007) have discussed in detail the issue of booming pollution in China. The article has outlined the reason for this pollution, its effect on its immediate environment and to the world at large and the response of people and officials on this increased pollution. Social Forces behind Increased Pollution in China There is no denial to the fact that the increased industrialization is one of the major reasons of the increased pollution in China but there are numerous social forces behind this as well. One of the social reasons for the increased industrialization that has led to increase pollution is the country’s policy to become world economic leader. As China plans and execute its policy to penetrate in every country and establish itself as world leader in production of goods and economy, this policy has resulted in increase in number of industries in the country. This increased industrialization has resulted in increase in production of toxic gases, substances, and industrial waste. Cheap labor rate of China is also a major reason for increased foreign investment in the country because of which Chinese leader argues that the foreign world is a great partner in degrading the country’s environment and the local industrialist and population is not to be blamed only (Khan and Yardley, 2007). Another social force behind increased pollution in China is government stance toward it. Though the government accepts that they have a major environment health issue in their country and conveys plan to deal with this disaster but these plans are rarely implemented. The Chinese government does not wish to uphold a healthy pollution free environment at the expense of the country’s economic growth. The official believes that economic growth provides its nationals with prosperity and they do not wish to sacrifice that prosperity, as it will result in chaos and political unrest in the country (Khan and Yardley, 2007). Non-concern for environmental laws, corruption, and refusal to accept the need for change methods of developments and industrialization are also major social reasons for increased pollution in China (Khan and Yardley, 2007). Fear of Chinese Leaders Regarding Environmental Protection Most of Chinese leadership is fearful of implementing environmental protection over economic growth and do not wish to do that. This is because the positive effects of economic development policy are very evident to the public but the efforts of healthier environment often go unnoticed by the public, as they are non-monetary benefits. Furthermore, the country has become habitual to fast paced development under its authoritarian style and the leader fear that compromise on the pace of development will result in political unrest in the country and would initiate demand for political change (Khan and Yardley, 2007). The leaders due to their own selfish reason of enjoying power to the maximum limit and time are fearful of implementing environmental protection above economic growth. They believe that economic prosperity, betterment forestalls the demand for political change in the country, and so they are using this economic development as a carrot to dangle in front of its people to be in power. These leaders are just portraying themselves as typical representatives of establishment whose priority is always their self-interest (Heiner, 2010). These leaders are also fearful because a strict environmental policy in China will result in decrease in foreign investment in the country and this will jeopardize their goal of regressive economic growth. Role of US and Other Western Nation China is a developing country with extreme pollution issues and not enough control measures for that, in such a situation the responsibility for indicating a clear stance on pollution falls on the developed countries of the world that had been there and done that. Developed countries like USA, UK, and Japan etc have a very clear social and political stance on global warming. According to Yale University research report “Climate Change in the American Mind” (2012), more than 54% of the people in the country are aware of the phenomena of global warming and believe that it is majorly caused by human acts and human efforts have the ability to reduce it. However, when it comes to implementation even these developed countries try to take an easy way out of situations that can contribute to global warming. Bullard (2010) in his article took the example of hurricane Katrina debris clean up in New Orleans, USA where the landfill which according to the resident and environmentalist was unfit was declared fit, meeting all standards, by the government officials. The state LDEQ even expanded its definition of construction debris to include potential contaminated material so that it can be easily land filled without any concern for its effect on the land and soil of the area. This indicates that though the developed countries are taking measures to reduce global warming they cannot help but also contribute to it. United Nations is very much concerned about the increasing pollution in China as it is harming not only the people in China but also its neighboring countries and the world climate. U.N issues reports to pressurize China to make efforts for reducing its pollution and provide it citizen with a better environment to live in (Magnier, 2007). Steps to Address Pollution Had I been the winner of this recent presidential election my first step to address pollution in China and world in general would be to set my priorities straight. It is important for a leader to have his priorities in the correct order and in my list of priorities; economic development will never come at the cost of irrevocable environmental damage. I believe that it is the duty of a responsible party to gift a better and safer world to its coming generation and this can only be achieved when we give due importance to environmental health and safety. There is no use in achieving a prosperity to enjoy which you will not have a healthy future generation. After appropriate setting of priorities, the next target would have been to implement these priorities through the laws in the country. Strict environmental laws and severe punishment for breach would be the first step towards implementation of my plans. The strategies would be implemented after weighing the pros n cons and cost and benefit associated with that. An example of such a strategy would be use and promotion of solar and hydra power energy rather than coal energy as coal energy causes more environmental damage. References Bullard, R. (2010). Conflicting Interests: Readings in Social Problems and Inequality. Ed. Robert Heiner. New York: Oxford University Press. Heiner, R. (2010). Conflicting Interests: Readings in Social Problems and Inequality. New York: Oxford University Press. Khan, J. and Yardley, J. (2007). As China Roars, Pollution Reaches Deadly Extremes. The New York Times. Retrieved on March 31, 2013: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26china.html?pagewanted=print&_r=0 Magnier, M. (2007). U.N. report raises pressure on China to cut pollution. Los Angles Times. Retrieved on March 31, 2013: http://articles.latimes.com/2007/apr/08/world/fg-green8 YALE University. (2012). Climate Change in the American Mind. YALE University. Retrieved on March 31, 2013: http://environment.yale.edu/climate/news/Climate-Beliefs-September-2012/ Read More