Problem of Air Pollution in China - Essay Example

Policy analysis paper This paper aims at defining the problem of air pollution in China and providing policy initiatives to curbing the problem. Air pollution refers to substances introduced to the atmosphere that have damaging effects on living things and the environment. China’s air pollution problems often make headlines across the globe. Air pollution presents a severe problem, one that if ignored poses a severe risk to human health and the economy. The main causes of air pollution in China are identified as over consumption of coal and motor vehicle emission. Air pollution has negative impacts on the health, economic, and the country’s agriculture. Policy initiatives should combine both regulative and investment measures. The initiatives and solution should be aimed at reducing and ending over reliance on coal by switching to green and clean energy sources. The government and organizations should also embark on mass public awareness on measures to combat air pollution and how they can contribute towards improving air quality in the country. Introduction Air pollution refers to substances introduced to the atmosphere that have damaging effects on living things and the environment. These substance introduced to the atmosphere are referred to as pollutants, which may take the form of gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets. Pollutants can either be natural or man-made in origin. These pollutants can either be primary or secondary (Cook, 2014). Primary pollutants are produced from a process such as sulfur dioxide released from factories, carbon monoxide from motor vehicles, or volcanic ash from volcanic eruptions. Secondary pollutants are emitted from reactions in the atmosphere when primary pollutants react. Definition of Problem Pollution serves as one of the broader topics of the environmental issues facing present day Chinese society. China’s air pollution problems often make headlines across the globe. Smog is noted to hang heavy over cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong. Rapid industrialization witnessed in China has resulted in an increase of various forms of pollution, which in turn has contributed to widespread health and environmental problems (Ahearn, 2011). Air pollution presents a severe problem, one that if ignored poses a severe risk to human health and the economy. Air pollution has negatively impacted on the health condition of the Chinese people and it has offered a real threat to the Chinese government. The growth of China’s economy has come at a price. The rapid industrialization has meant that factories, heavy industries, and power plants have continued to belch out black, dirty air, at the cost of China’s health and environment. China has started losing on its economic opportunities due to the high levels of air pollution since many investors are running away from the pollution. Air pollution has become a major concern that needs rapid measures to be addressed. Causes of air pollution in China Coal is the main contributor of China’s air pollution problem. China’s booming economy has meant that the country is faced with an increased demand for energy. As a response to this increase in energy demand, the country has focused on building new coal-fired power plants at a staggering rate. It is approximated that China consumes close to half of the globe’s coal consumption. The country’s rapid growth in the usage of coal is directly linked to the extensive industrial expansion it is currently witnessing. Coal has proved to be China’s major energy source with an estimated 80% contribution to the country’s electricity needs (Greenpeace, 2012). However, Coal has also proved to contribute the lion’s share of air pollutants such as soot and sulfur dioxide in China. Coal burning causes heavy metal pollution and releases particulate pollution on a massive scale. Coal contributes to the country’s emissions of Nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, and particulate matter. To improve China’s air quality, it is imperative that the country moves away from it’s over reliance on coal. Another primary source of air pollutants in China is carbon monoxide emitted from motor vehicles. The urban population in China is quite large and the country is the biggest car market in the globe. It is estimated that there are close to five million motor vehicles in the Country’s capital, Beijing. With a reported 13 million cars sold in China in 2012, motor vehicles are proving to be a main culprit in the air pollution witnessed across the big cities such as Beijing, Guanghzou, and Shanghai (Cendrowski, 2014). Over the last two decades, the Chinese middle class has grown and car ownership became the new symbol of prosperity. The Chinese government has promoted car buying as a means to keep its economy growing through banks offering attractive car loans. This has made car ownership to increase in China, which has resulted to increased vehicle emission. Motor vehicle emission in China is a big source of the secondary pollutant PM2.5- particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter, which forms in the air (Ahearn, 2011). Dust storms from local construction industries and the country’s north also contribute to air pollution. The massive industrialization of China has seen the country embark on massive construction projects which lead to dust build up in the clouds surrounding the construction areas. Effects of Air pollution Air pollution in China causes several health problems and has caused so many premature deaths. Air pollution has contributed to a major health risk to the country’s population. Fine particulates from motor vehicles have been proven to cause lung cancer among the Chinese population. Increasing cases of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease have been attributed to factory and motor vehicle air pollution. It is estimated that between 350000 and 500000 die prematurely each year in China because of the country’s disastrous air pollution (Cook, 2014). Most of these deaths are attributed to airbone particles which are smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter and result from primary or secondary pollutants. These small particles are capable of penetrating into the lungs and in the process enter the bloodstream of humans leading to negative health effects. The disastrous air pollution in China has also impacted negatively on the country’s economy. Due to the frequent smog witnessed in the country’s major cities, flights have become frequently grounded, highways frequently closed, and tourists have kept away from the country (Cendrowski, 2014). This has served to lose the country direct and indirect revenue. The time lost during grounding of flights and closure of highways has meant that work hours have significantly been lost and productivity lessened. As tourists keep away from the adverse air pollution, the country loses revenue through tourism. Tourists fear the risk that the air pollution may have on their health and also improper flight arrangements they may have to undertake. Investors also shy away from the country due to the bad publicity their companies may get faced with in connection to contributing to the country’s air pollution. Some investors fear the risk that such pollution can also have on their personal health as well as that of their workforce. Scientists have also pinpointed the worsening air pollution in the country to slowed photosynthesis in plants. Scientists warn that air pollution in China resembles a nuclear winter. The slowed photosynthesis in plants threatens to potentially wreak havoc on China’s food supply. Air pollution has a close effect as that of greenhouse surfaces and may cut the amount of light available for plants severely impeding their photosynthesis. Air pollution resulting from chemical emissions by factories can also cause disease to plants making them inedible by contributing to acid rain. Policy initiatives to combat air pollution In a bid to combat the deteriorating air conditions, China has become forced to change its developmental model. There is need for solutions towards the disastrous air pollution experienced in the country. Policy initiatives towards combating the problem should involve both regulation and investment initiatives. A starting point for policy initiatives in combating the air pollution is significantly reducing the country’s over-reliance on coal. Focus should be placed on pushing China to reduce and ultimately end the country’s use of coal. The country has massive potential for clean energy that has zero emission in the form of wind and solar. A switch to such forms of energy sources would prove a huge difference for air quality in the country. The government of China has to provide financial aid to the country’s energy needs by focusing on green energy. Investors should also be encouraged to turn to green energy as a source of their energy demands to curb the use of coal. Regulators in China should impose strict conditions and fines on power plants and factories that contribute the greatest pollution (Greenpeace, 2012). Regulators should also provide low interest loans and grants to make it economically affordable to convert to cleaner fuels, install scrubbers, and implement energy efficiency programs. Elevating public and mass awareness on measures to reduce air pollution can be used as an initiative solution to the problem. Government and non-government organizations should focus on educating and involving public participation in the effort to curb air pollution in China. Involving the public in matters that are of public good is imperative if there is to be success in curbing air pollution in China. The Public should be educated on measures they could undertake to help reduce the emission of pollutants. The public should be made aware of the risks that air pollution has on their health, as well as the economic and agricultural impacts it may have. People should be encouraged to use public transport so as to reduce motor vehicle emissions as a way towards combating air pollution. Emphasis and initiative should also get placed on the use of energy efficient devices. Factories and people in China should use products that consume less electricity and live longer (Patel, 2014). This would result to lesser consumption of energy and reduce on air pollution indirectly. References Ahearn, A. (2011). Air Pollution in China, with Junfeng (Jim) Zhang. Environmental Health Perspectives, 119(6), 1-5. Cendrowski, S. (2014). Business Created Chinas Pollution Problem Now It Needs To Fix It. Fortune, 169(6), 90-93. Cook, N. (2014). Air control. Rospa Occupational Safety & Health Journal, 44(7/8), 19-22. Greenpeace. (2012, March 2). Reduce Air Pollution. Retrieved March 2, 2015, from Green Peace East Asia: http://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/campaigns/air-pollution/ Patel, S. (2014). Chinas War on Air Pollution. Power, 158(11), 49-52. Read More