Pearl River Delta Flashcards
What does the pearl river delta endanger?
The environment and human health
Where is the fastest growing economy in the world?
Pearl river delta
How many dollars worth of manufactured goods are produced there each year?
Billions of dollars $
When did China open the doors of the pearl river delta to foreign investment?
1978
How many people provide the working force in the pearl river delta?
30 million workers
What causes the factories not to care about pollution?
The weak environmental laws about pollution mean people don’t pay attention
In 2007, what was the % of acid rainfall in Guangzhou?
80% acid rainfalls
How many people are employed in the factory with the most workers in pearl river delta and where is it and what do they sell?
There are 80,000 people employed in a shoe factory in Dongguan
Where is the pearl river delta located?
Near the South China Sea in the South east of China
Which country is the pearl river delta the same size as?
Belgium
What is the profit made in the pearl river delta per year?
$448 billion profit per year
What is the area of the industries in the pearl river delta?
2900 square miles
How has the % for primary, secondary and tertiary employment changed since 1980?
Primary: decreased by 23.8%
Secondary: stayed the same
Tertiary: increased by 23.8%
What is pearl river deltas population density (living)?
6000 people per square kilometre
In 2011, how many tons of heavy metals were discharged into the sea?
3,700 tons of heavy metal was discharged into the sea in 2011
In 2007, what was the % of goods being made in the pearl river delta?
57%
What is the pearl river delta often referred to as?
The worlds factory floor
Name 5 factories in the pearl river delta
- Guangzhou
- shunde
- zhuhai
- dongguan
- Shenzhen
What % of the worlds artificial Christmas trees are made at Shenzhen?
80% of worlds Christmas trees
Name 2 large companies that use the pearl river delta
- ibm
* Samsung
Name 4 advantages of using the pearl river delta for work
- miles of cheap flat land to build factories on
- improves quality of life in the area
- multiplier effect
- jobs for 30 million employees
What was the gdp for the pearl river delta in 2010?
In 2010, the gdp was $120 billion
Name 4 disadvantages for using the pearl river delta
- environmental issues
- factory pollution
- limited clean water supply
- deforestation
How has air pollution become such a problem for the pearl river delta?
Air pollution comes as a consequence of factories and power plants releasing dangerous chemical emissions.
How many times more SO2 is being produced than it should be?
3x more SO2 is being produced than there should be
What does the excess so2 in the atmosphere cause?
80% acid rainfall
How has water pollution become such an issue at the pearl river delta?
1/2 of the water released into the river is untreated waste chemical pollution from the factories
Where is the contaminated water used?
On farms for crops and livestock
How has deforestation become such an issue in pearl river delta?
Forests are being cut down to make space for new factories and settlements
What does the deforestation lead to?
Serious soil erosion, leads to more silt in the river, leads to more flooding
What does the soil erosion lead to?
More silt in the river, which leads to more flooding
What was the governments target regarding air pollution for and in what year?
In 1987, target to reduce SO2 emissions by 40% but failed
What have the government said that pearl river delta must do to reduce the emission?
Reduce their dependence on coal and become sustainable
More recently, what did the government pledge to reduce emissions of, by how much and when?
By 2010, the government pledged to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide by 15% and cut chemical pollution by 15%
What was the cost of the government to clean up the river?
$7 billion
What are the governments 3 new regulations to ensure sustainability of the river?
- factories must pass tests for how they dispose of their waste
- random inspections to discover how waste is disposed
- fines or shut down violating factors
What could consumption of the water from the pearl river delta be linked to?
Water could be linked to health issues
Why is the pearl river delta socially unsustainable?
The water is getting to the crops that farmers produce so no one wants to buy them as they’re contaminated. The farmers lose money and their quality of life deteriorates
Which city is the most acid rain found in pearl river delta?
Guangdong
What causes serious erosion?
Reduction in vegetation cover caused by urban areas over exploiting their neighbouring uplands
Which animal is becoming extinct at the pearl river delta?
The white nosed dolphin
