China’s Environmental Problems, Coursework Example

The main source of China’s environmental problems is an outmoded economic growth model that is overly dependent on manufacturing. Indeed, while Deng Xiaoping’s decision to undertake economic reform in 1979 has resulted in robust economic growth and lifted nearly 400 million individuals out of poverty, it came at a steep price: a degraded environment.  As Barry Naughton (1997) points out, China’s economy, as a developing economy, is extremely energy-intensive, although it has become more efficient as time progressed.  He points out that three factors have played a key role in China’s evolving energy consumption: 1) Industry- China’s industrial segment was the largest segment of the economy and main energy consumer; 2) Institutional- Chinese leaders used price controls and other policies to make energy consumption more affordable, also leading to massive distortions in the market; 3) Technology- China has gradually adopted technology that has increased energy efficiency (Naughton, 1997).

While Lewis points out similar problems in the economy related to inefficient energy use, she particularly focuses on China’s traditional energy mix that heavily favors the use of coal.  Coal, the most plentiful energy source in China, became the main source of energy with predictable consequences regarding pollution levels:  Coal use accounts for 70% of soot emissions, 90% of sulfur dioxide emissions, 67% of noxious oxide emissions, and 70% of carbon dioxide (Lewis, 2010). Energy mix has not only resulted in increased emissions, a factor with implications beyond the borders of China, but has also contributed to numerous environmental problems in the country: water scarcity, increasing desertification, and land degradation (Lewis, 2010).

The Chinese leaders’ response to environmental problems has primarily focused on the nexus between energy use and economic growth.   Indeed, Chinese leaders are trying to optimize the “environmental Kuznets curve” which depicts the relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution: While rates of pollution increase during the early stages of economic growth, the rate of pollution growth decelerates as a country’s economy develops.  Thus, policy responses have aimed at recalibrating the relationship between energy use and economic growth.

Lewis points to three main government responses in order to deal with environmental problems.  First, the Chinese government has expanded the utilization of low-emission energy sources; this strategy is meant to limit the use of coal and increase the use of alternative energy sources (Lewis,2010 ). Second, the government has promoted greater energy efficiency, in particular targeting heavy industry.  The Eleventh Five Year plan (2006-2011) set a goal of reducing energy intensity by 20% by the year 2020.  This goal will primarily need to be met by high energy consumption firms in heavy industry.  The last policy measure is to “count carbon.”  With the rise in concern over global warming , the Chinese government made a goal to reduce energy emissions 40 to 45% below 2005 emission levels by the year 2020 (Lewis, ).  This was the first time the Chinese government put a target on carbon; although China has not made explicit promises at the international level.

Naughton, while citing many of the factors above, also takes note that Chinese leaders have changed the way they conceptualize economic growth.  While previously leaders simply focused on the rate of economic growth, there is now a greater focus on “sustainable growth” (Naughton, 1997). While this change in rhetoric does not automatically comport to a change in environmental policy, the new focus does provide political space for policy makers and politicians to pursue environmental goals more vigorously.

Overall, there are two main obstacles to successfully these policies: 1) Existing conflict between promoting economic growth versus environmental protection; 2) fissures between incentives for local and central government actors.  The relationship between economic growth and environmental is not inherently conflicting.  Indeed, as Naughton mentions in his analysis, the two variables can coexist at numerous places on Kutzet’s environmental curve; the main problem lies in understanding where the country is on the curve and what tradeoffs are implied by that position.  The Chinese government is taking robust measures to maximize both goals, particularly through support for alternative energy industry that may not only make the country more energy efficient, but also serve as a new source of economic growth.

A second main problem is existing fissures between local and central government officials. One of the traditional problems in China’s political economy is the dissonance between officially stated central government policy, and how that policy is ultimately implemented at the local level.  Indeed, some local governments essentially “free ride” by allowing local enterprises to pollute en masse but reap the benefits of economic growth- while at the same time, waiting for the central government to expend resources to clean up the damage (Naughton, 1997). Any long-term solution to China’s environmental woes must effectively deal with the problem of divergent incentives in the existing political system.  To some extent, China’s leaders have tried to blunt the edges of this problem by implementing changes into how political promotion is handled in the Communist party system: The introduction of environmental criteria into the selection problem has indeed represented a step forward.  At the end of the day, however, political power is still largely dependent on economic power, and environmental concerns still are not primary in most local politicians’ agenda. This is the case even as the central government has tried to increase supervision over local governments via creating a supervisory agency at the central government level.

References

Naughton, B. (1997).  The Chinese Economy: Transitions and Growth.  Boston: MIT Press.

Lewis J. (2010). China today, China tomorrow. J. Fewsmith (Ed). Boston: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.