Air Pollution: ChinaBy: Macy Lloyd & Freshta Baher

(1)

Background on Kyoto Protocol

● Internationally binding commitment on reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in atmosphere.

● Adopted on December 11th, 1997, but went into effect February 16, 2005. First session ended in 2012.

● Second Session January 1st 2013 to December 2020.

Problems with Kyoto Protocol

● More restrictions on developed countries than developing.

● How is it enforced?o Emissions are made into tradable

commodities.o Clean Development Mechanisms o Joint Implementation

● There aren’t any repercussions if a country goes over emission levels.

Background on Kyoto Protocol

Air Pollution in China

Real time air pollution tracker: http://aqicn.org/map/china/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4DtOhe2LfQ

The Coal Problem(4)

● 75% of all energy sources comes from coal. ● Major pollutants(all of which come from burning coal and oil):

o SO2

o NO2

● Concentration of NO2 and SO2(2004)o Northern cities- 140 micrograms/m^3o Southern cities- 102 micrograms/m^3

● Beijing alone reached 30-45 times above recommended pollution levels in January(7).

Effects on Health (5)

● NO2

o Bronchitiso Reduced lung function and growth

● SO2

o Affects the respiratory system and the functioning of the lungs

o Causes irritation of the eyeso Inflammation of the respiratory tract causing coughing,

mucus secretion, and chronic bronchitis. o When SO2 combines with water, it forms sulfuric acid, which

is the main component of acid rain.

● The average person who was alive in the 1990’s and living in Northern China will live an average of 5.5 years less than the southern part of China (7).

Effects of Air Pollution on Economy

● The World Bank estimated that the total health cost due to air pollution accounted for almost 5.8% of China’s GDP(6).

● Air pollution cost the Chinese Economy $112 billion dollars in 2005, but only $22 billion in 1975 (8).

● Dust also settled on crops,decreasing China’s agricultural productivity by ⅓ ()

Effects of Economy on Air Pollution (11)

● To combat rising pollution levels China closing older, smaller mines, but larger plants make up for closings

● China produces 3.66 billion tons of coal per year, half the world’s total

● Overall energy consumption in China is still increasing○ coal is the cheapest and most reliable option

● alternative options aren’t yet feasible in China due to cost, availability, technology and high consumption.

Solutions…?

http://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/campaigns/air-pollution/solutions/

Global Repercussions (13)

● Pollutants are carried on the prevailing winds● Tragedy of the Commons

Citations1. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/25/china-toxic-air-pollution-nuclear-winter-scientists

2. http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/00/90500-004-BB7F263D.gif3. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_stxOrSRi0yw/TTx_Mo01pYI/AAAAAAAAABg/n1AR

EhiQp10/s1600/KyotoProtocol.jpg4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2685855/5. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en/6. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFIC

EXT/EXTEAPREGTOPENVIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:21252897~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:502886,00.html

7. http://www.cnbc.com/id/1008781508. http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2012/global-change-china-air-economy-02139. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/28/world/asia/most-chinese-cities-fail-pol

lution-standard-china-says.html?_r=010.http://www.history.com/topics/water-and-air-pollution11.http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/07/china-coal-

idUSL3N0K90H720140107

Citations (cont.)12. http://qz.com/184860/chinas-war-on-pollution-may-end-up-accelerating-global-warming/13. http://discovermagazine.com/2011/apr/18-made-in-china-our-toxic-imported-air-pollution14. http://bio1152.nicerweb.com/Locked/media/ch52/52_10fGlobalClimate-L.jpg