China commits to environmental targets

At the UN climate summit in New York in September China for the first time made a commitment to reduce the negative effect that their increased manufacturing is having on the environment. As yet they haven't revealed any specific detail as to how they will do this, but President Hu Jintao said he will be setting targets for a reduction in their emissions increase. He has said that China will be aiming for 15 per cent of their energy to come from renewable sources by the year 2020, and that they are planning to plant 40 million hectares of trees to replace those that have been cut down.

There has been a dramatic increase in manufacturing in China over the last few years. The manufacturing industry, and economy in general, is growing faster than any other country on earth. Most experts say they are almost defiantly going to overtake the United States as both the world's biggest manufacturer and the biggest economy. They have the largest population so it would come as no surprise.

With their increasing manufacturing the impact it is having on the environment is significant. This increase in pollution is inevitable but they have been criticised for taking no steps to keep this to an acceptable level. Their have been a number of environmental problems in the country, such as fuel spillages. Coal is a particular problem; China is using 200 million tons a year with up to 60 per cent of it reportedly being ‘dirty coal'. This has lead to around 30 per cent of China being subjected to acid rain. There are a lot of problems in China due to pollution, with the city of Linfen often being described as the most polluted city on the globe. Many of China cities are regularly covered with a visible blanket of smog. Despite this, when compared to their populations, China is still less of a pollutant than the United States.

There have been signs over the last few years that China is taking green issues more seriously. They now look like they are keen to co-operate with other nations to do what they can to limit the problems of climate change. There have been some positive signs but there is still a long way to go if they, and others, are going to achieve what environmentalists are looking for.

With their current growth, it would be unrealistic to expect China's emissions to decrease, after all many nations in the West have gone through similar increases in growth, and therefore pollution, in the past. They have said they want to reduce the increasing pollution, which is the first sign that a lot of people have been looking for. They have even hinted that it may be better for their country if economic growth slowed slightly, therefore helping the environment. For China to make a serious effort on climate change wholesale changes will have to be made in regards to how their industries are run, and to their way of thinking. But at least they seem to be taking a step in the right direction.

Andrew Marshall ©

Wholesale Manufacturers China