July 9, 2008
Blowing greenhouse gases while Beijing chokes on smog
You go first... no you go first! One might imagine this kind of bickering taking place near the swings during recess, but at a gathering of world leaders? According to PBS's Thirteen/WNET, that is exactly what is happening at this year's G8 discussions.
China and India say it is up to the developed world — the biggest polluters — to take the lead in the fight against climate change. But President Bush has said that developing nations must also sign on to make any global deal work.Last year, China was already on track to pass US as the biggest source of greenhouse gases on the planet, so the question of which country is more at fault in the race to melt the icecaps seems like a bit of a moot point.
Meanwhile, with only a month left to go until the opening ceremony, the Chinese officials are almost ready to throw their hands up and surrender to the pollution levels in Beijing.
Du Shaozhong, deputy director of Beijing’s Environmental Protection Bureau, said: “We made a commitment to ensure air quality for the Olympic Games . . . as for whether we have reached the goal, that will be examined after the event.”
Haile Gebrselassie, the world’s leading long-distance runner, is not waiting to find out. Rather than take any chances, he's already withdrawn from the marathon. The IOC, however, clearly does not regret its decision, claiming that China has set the gold standard in preparedness for the upcoming games. So perhaps this will be the first, but not the last, Olympics held in China. There's always Shanghai, where at least on many days the sky is bluer.
Photo by Dana Smith
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"Which country is more at fault"?
1, Historically it was West which polluted the globe for hundred years and only 6 months ago China overpassed USA as the biggest polluters, in ABSOLUTE volume.
2, In view of everybody are born equal, a fundamental principle of the hypocrate democracy, each one of 1.3 billion Chinese deserves a living standard no lower than Westerners. The carbon footprint for the average Chinese person at 5.1 tons is far lower than that of West, such as Americans at 19.4 tons. I guess you can at least manage to understand bit of math that EACH Americans and Europeans emitts 3-4 times carbon than EACH Chinese and that proportionally you are the greates polluter while China still has a long way to go. (I guess you would never think this way when coming to calculating Chinese gold medals to comfort your upset soul, by thinking that in view of proportion, Chines sport is still far behind West).
3, 22% of pollutions caused by China are for the manufacturing to export to the West, which is so-called “carbon transfer”. The very export by China help save west not only bad air and water but at least 1.5% inflation annually as well, for which west actually should feel grateful.
German steel giants Kruppe and Mannesman, knowing clearly production in China would consume more and release more, removed almost all their plants to Handan city, 250 KM north of Beijing, as equity share of some joint-ventures and ship the cheap steel to Germany and pollute China each day while investing 12 billions Euro in Ruhr area to turn it into a nice garden. Then, of course, Merkel can badmouth China with it and lecture China to take green Germany and as model.
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Has anybody noticed that the Environmental Bureau spokesman's statement is pure bunk? Since air quality can be measured on a daily basis, there is no need to evaluate after the Games if the goal was met. It can be determined every day without waiting at all. Presuming they will actually release the info...
Maybe air quality meters have been determined to be a security threat, and will be banned.
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China cut down its forests and overused its rivers long before the industrial revolution. China has had every opportunity to learn from the hard lessons the West went through during the industrial revolution but Bad China simply uses the "developing country" excuse for its continued bad behavior, believing that two wrongs make a right. It is China that will die from poisoning first and the world can simply build a fence around the landfill formerly known as China and hang big Mr. Yuck signs on that fence.
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eastman: yes, it's a marvelous scheme the developed west has setup to transfer carbon emissions to China for their own benefit... or mutual benefit? Let's face it. We can't blame the west entirely for the state of the environment in China. The attitude of get rich at all cost in China is the reason for the dilapidating state of the environment. Choices made by China industries dictates the future of the future environment.
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To booggerg,
I never said "to transfer carbon emissions to China is not for own benefitor mutual benefit. I just meant West should have nothing to complain and be calm when the poor boy next door is coming to dine with you on the same table, with full right to enjoy the same food.
得便宜卖乖 is not a gentleman deed.