Water pollution in China - Essay Example

Lecturer’s WATER POLLUTION Introduction In recent years,the world has been shocked at China’s rate of economic development. It was almost as if it happened overnight because all of a sudden China was a super-power in terms of its financial power. This has mostly been due to its several industries in the country which beside providing income for the people and revenue for the government, this has also come at a hefty price- pollution. The factories and production plants emit harmful gases and wastes which in turn pollute the environment. China’s environmental pollution problems have become a major concern around the world mostly because of its dense population, estimated at around 1 billion. Water pollution in particular is a very serious problem in China. To put this into perspective, China had an estimated 50, 000 rivers unfortunatley more than half of those rivers have since disappeared. A report from the Ministry of Environmental Protection indicates that, “Up to 40 percent of China’s rivers were seriously polluted” and “20 percent were so polluted their water quality was rated too toxic even to come into contact with.” (Yongqiang, 2013). Water pollution not only threatens human health and development, but also jeopardizes China’s economic development plans (Economy, 2013). It is reported that water shortages cause an estimated loss of U.S. $11.2 billion (120 billion yen), while the its impact on human health has been approximated at U.S. $3.9 billion (41.73 billion yen per year). There has been a debate as to whether pollution should be dealt with austerely mainly because it will involve taking draconian measures against companies found liable. This will have a negative economic impact in the country. So the real debate is whether China wants to forego its economic development and in turn focus on eradicating pollution. This paper will look into the water pollution issue at length while seeking to answer whether economic development should be at the peril of the environment and humanity. The author is of the view that economic development should not be pursued at all costs. There are limits as to how far one can/should go in order to make profits. Currently in China there is no line to be crossed and companies are taking advantage of this. Pollution This refers to the contamination of air, water, or soil by substances which are harmful to living organisms. These substances may differ and they contaminate at varying degrees depending on their concentration. Examples of substances that may contaminate include; chemicals, waste (human and industrial) etc. These substances may also be referred to as pollutants. Water is very essential to not only human life, but also animal and plant life. In order for all these lives to be sustained, water is required but not just any water but clean and fit for consumption water. The quality of water which is declining at a very fast pace is mostly affected by human activities (Taylor, 2013). Some of the factors attributed to this include; population growth, the rise of urbanization, industrial production, among other factors. Industries are the largest source of water pollution and it is reported that several sources of water have a certain contamination level from industrial waste and chemicals (Spector, 2013). The management of waste water is a global challenge affecting various regions of the world. The existing sanitation- both industrial and municipal water treatment infrastructure is overloaded, they then seep directly into the environment thus contaminating the groundwater sources. Reports indicate that every day, approximately two million tons of sewage is discharged into the planet’s various water bodies- oceans, lakes and rivers. Currently, there are systems in place which have been set up to deal with such however they have thus far been unable to support the growing population and urbanization. Pursuing Economic Development at all costs Most companies have argued that focusing on pollution as opposed to economic development will be detrimental to the country. China has slowly but surely become a hub for most industries mainly because of its technological superiority and availability of human capital. These have attracted manufacturing companies who have posited various arguments as to why the country should not be derailed while in its pursuit of economic developemnt. These arguments include: ARGUMENTS AGAINST The Win/Win Argument It has been argued that the presence of these industries in the country is a win/win for all interested parties. Look at it this way. The industries get to set up their manufacturing plants and have access to technology, human capital and in some cases raw materials. The availability of these essential components reduces the cost of acquisition thus profits are realized. The government on the other hand benefits from revenue while the people are provided with a source of income. Everyone wins. Recognition In the yesteryears China was not recognized as a superpower, it was merely known for its large population. This is a contrast to the present situation where China as a country is respected and is seen as a benchmark for most developing and developed countries. This recognition has been as a result of pursuing economic development at all costs. It is even said in some quarters that China’s slogan in the past years has been “by all means necessary”. ARGUMENTS FOR Some of the arguments which have been posed against the need for China to wake up and smell the coffee burning in terms of pollution of its waters include: Myopic Vision The argument that the industries coming up in China are a win/win is very myopic (Liu, 2013). Yes to some extent all parties are benefiting but what are the long term effects of these industries. There have already been reports that there are some villages already termed as ‘cancer villages’ where most inhabitants suffer from the diease which are a result of wastes from these industries. Several people have already died and several will die. Therefore, although the industries provide employment and are a source of income to millions of people, what is the use of earning a salary if you are going to spend it on seeking treatment? Cancer is also a very expensive disease and very few people can afford it. How well are these industries paying their employees? A Chinese newspaper commented that, “one cannot drink poison to quench the thirst.” This basically means that one cannot seek quick results while hiding behind the cloak of economic development and disregard the consequences.We should look at the bigger picture in terms of the effcts of these waste disposal especially in our water bodies. Becoming a Superpower It is quite commendable that China can now become can compete on almost the same footing as countries such as Germany, U.S and U.K. This shows how much development has been undertaken within the country. However, this development has come at a price that is now proving to be too costly to pay. It is time that the Chinese government re-evaluates its goals for the country especially with regards to the approach adopted- “by all means necessary”. It is this approach that has led to immense environmental degradation, poor health and even death. There should be lines which if crossed should have consequences. The cost of becoming a superpower should not be at the expense of losing lives. After all what is the need of a dying country being a superpower? It only means that its superiority will be short-lived. CONCLUSION It is important to note that economic, technological, military and even cultural dominance are important but for all these to be achieved, the country needs its human capital. Not just any human capital but a healthy one. Cancer patients are not going to contribute very much in the growth and development of the country. This can only be achieved with a healthy and working nation. The role of any government should be to protect its people from exploitation, poor working conditions, poor health practices mong other things. The Chinese government has completely failed in these and instead has hidden behind the cloak of ensuring economic development. In order to maintain growth and development the government has ignores the serious environmental problems (Liu, 2013). There comes a time when tough choices have to be made and this is one of them. Either choose economic prosperity or choose a healthy and safe environment. An official at China Water Risk which is a web portal that examines China’s water supply problems stated that, “At the global level, investors have responded to the threat of water scarcity by investing in specialist water funds,” the site notes. But with China expected to spend roughly $150 billion over the next 12 years to deal with water shortage issues, “increasing attention is being paid to investment opportunities in water supply infrastructure, water treatment facilities and demand management technologies.” (Mullany, 2013) Prime Minister Li Keqiang put it very well when he said that it would take a lot of time to address the water pollution issue: “There has been a long-term buildup to this problem, and the resolution will require a long-term process. But nevertheless we must act.” China should stop sitting on its laurels and twiddling its thumbs. It is time to act! Works Cited Economy, Elizabeth. China’s Water Pollution. January 2013 http://thediplomat.com/2013/01/22/forget-air-pollution-chinas-has-a-water-problem/ Liu, Peter. The four major reasons of pollution in China. 2013 Spector, Dina. If You Think China's Air Is Bad, You Should See The Water. March 2013. http://www.businessinsider.com/china-water-pollution-2013-3?op=1 Taylor, Alan. China's Toxic Water. March, 2013  Yongqiang, Gu. In China, Water You Wouldn’t Dare Swim in, Let Alone Drink. March, 2013 Mullany, Gerry. Concerns Grow About ‘Severely Polluted’ Water in China’s Cities. February, 2013. Read More