Development: A Double-edged Sword

  In recent years, China had be developing rapidly. With rapid rate of industrialization and urbanization, Living standards were greatly improved, requirements were adequately met. However, with these improve of economy comes a huge price to pay: the environment. All the activities China engages in to improve economy are highly demanding in terms of energy requirement. This great demand for energy results in high rate of emission of greenhouse gases and pollution, a huge negative impact on the environment.

  In 2006, China’s energy use was already the second highest in the world, having nearly doubled in the last decade, and its electricity use is growing even faster, having doubled since 2000. With both energy-intensive industry and high-tech manufacturing, China now serves as factory to the world. Rising living standards also mean more domestic consumption, including high-energy-use items like air conditioners and cars. By 2020, annual vehicle sales in China are expected to exceed those in the United 

States.

  While most of China’s electricity comes from coal and hydropower, the growing use of oil for China’s burgeoning vehicle fleet is adding greatly to concerns about energy security. Already, China must import nearly half of its oil. Concerns about energy security, power capacity shortages, and air pollution are all adding urgency and pressure to switch to alternative technologies and fuels, including greater energy efficiency, “clean coal” technologies, nuclear power, and renewable energy. Climate change also adds pressure—China will soon pass the United States as the largest emitter of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels.

  There are improvements in air quality and traffic conditions in the city. Some of these improvements were temporary, but its Olympic effort showed the world and China that it is capable of making great changes.

  Like Beijing, most Chinese cities are facing air pollution problems mainly resulting from burning coal at a very large scale and rapidly rising vehicle population.  Since 2000, the Belfer Center’s Energy Technology Innovation Policy research group (ETIP) has been working with partners in China to tackle these problems. With ETIP Director Kelly Sims Gallagher, my research identifies technological and policy solutions for key energy and environmental problems associated with the fast expanding Chinese transportation sector. We study and make recommendations around clean and alternative mobile fuels, advanced vehicle technologies, fuel economy standards, and in-use vehicle emissions. We work with Chinese partners such as the Ministry of Science and Technology, national and municipal environmental agencies, the China Automotive Research and Technology Center, and Tsinghua University.

  Since the late 1990s, China has undertaken a full array of aggressive actions toward a more sustainable transportation sector: increased government research and development spending on advanced vehicle technologies, promulgation of vehicle fuel economy and more. With its population and prosperity rapidly increasing, the challenge to drastically reduce emissions is huge but essential..

Reflection

  China have an increasingly amount of air pollution as they become more developed. They cannot be blamed as they have such a huge population. As research have shown, China is capable of making great changes. They might surprise the world with measures to decrease pollution instantly etc. As China develops, it does not forget the pollution they caused and tried to change.

Even so, the fact that the pollution in China had increased rapidly cannot be changed.