Pollution: air pollution Flashcards
Air pollution introduction
- Catalysts for the Chinese govt confronting this issue = the developing public health crisis & acknowledgement that failure to address its air quality problem will = serious economic implications.
- The CCP has already started to regulate, with the pace of regulation set to accelerate.
Define air pollution
Air pollution refers to the concentration of harmful emissions in the environment.
Air pollution in China’s cities
The World Bank reports that 16 / top 20 most polluted cities in the world are in China
Name two reasons for air pollution
- economic development
- global trade
How has economic development led to air pollution?
Over the past three decades, the rapid development of China has resulted in excessive emissions of greenhouse gases.
How many cities in China exceed the air pollutant standard?
Among the 337 cities, 40%
How much CO2 does China produce?
- currently the largest emitter
- producing twice the amount as the USA (27%)
Where does China’s CO2 emissions come from?
- 50% come from industrial sector
- 40% come from power sector
Cities in China attaining the national standard for air quality
- In 2016, only 84 /338 higher cities attained the national standard for air quality.
- However, by 2018, all those 338 cities enjoyed good air quality on 79% of days .
How much has harmful particulates reduced over the years?
Fell from 40% from 2013 to 2020
How much has sulphur dioxide emission reduced?
- emissions peaked in 2006 and declined by 10.4% in 2008
What was the state council’s response after the record high air pollution?
- After record-high air pollution in Northern China 2012-13, the state council issued an Action Plan for the prevention and Control of Air Pollution in September 2013
What was the goal of the state council’s goal in 2013?
(Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution)
- to reduce coal consumption by closing polluting mills, factories, and smelters
- & switching to other eco-friendly energy sources.
What marked the establishment of a permit pollutant system in China?
- The Regulation on the Administration of Pollutant Discharge Permits came into effect in 2021
- it marked the establishment of a national pollutant discharge permit system in China.
China’s national air quality targets for local govt
- the only air pollution law which mentions controlling greenhouse gases.
- Local governments will be held accountable to make plans to meet air quality targets and execute them.
- if air quality targets were not met after a certain period of time, local government leaders will be asked to explain and develop correction plans.
When was the National Air Pollution Action Plan announced and what were the targets?
2013
* Coal
* Transport
* Industry
Coal targets of the national air pollution action plan
- Reduction in coal’s contribution to energy mix from 68% –> 65%
- Elimination of all coal-fired power stations in Beijing
- Coal consumption caps in several major cities all by 2017
Transport targets of the national air pollution action plan
- Cap in car volumes in key provinces.
- New, cleaner ‘Stage V’ vehicles introduced nationwide by 2017.
What are the industry targets of the national air pollution action plan?
- Cut in cement and steel capacity in key production provinces.
- Tightened emission limits for high polluting industries.
- Expansion of environmental protection market.
Factories being shutdown in China in 2013
- During 2013, several small-scale cement and steel factories with inefficient production facilities were closed down, consequently reducing overall capacity.
Examples of factories being shutdown
Within Hebei, the largest steel producing region in China, the government has mandated a specific capacity reduction target, with 10% of this having already been achieved.
Acid rain as a result of SO2
China now emits more SO2 than any other country, resulting in acid rain falling on more than a third of the nation.
In 2004, how much did environmental degradation account for in GDP?
511.8 billion yuan (US$ 67.7 billion) or 3.05 % of GDP.
Measures in Beijing
Pressure to create a suitable environment for both athletes and spectators forced the Chinese government to enforce probably the world’s biggest pollution control experiment, but it was only for the summer of 2008
