POLLUTION OF THE CHINESE AIR.

Particulate matter in the air we breathe sticks to the lungs and other organs like toast to butter. Along with carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, the nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide, we've been putting up with these molecules, foreign or familiar since the industrial revolution improved our living standard but proved fatal to our ecology. Large numbers of plants, animals and others have had to adapt or die as a consequence!

With the latest news of residents of Guangdong, the suffering seems to

repeat the problems of Londoners in the '50s or LA during their photo-

chemical smog regimes. Air quality regulation has been drafted for 2

years without any action but rapid expansion for the country has created

a Pandora's Box for ordinary people.

Even flights from Beijing Airport have been badly affected.

Zhou Rong is one of the campaigners for Greenpeace and

helped compile a report with the Public Health Department

of Beijing University. While high levels of the fine particulate

pollutant, PM2.5, caused over 8,500 premature deaths in four

cities, from the economists' point of view around a billion

dollars were lost last year.

The South China Morning Post's take on their local pollution headache is full on. As lungs blacken, a Chinese lung expert, Zhing Nanshan says, "People's lungs are turning black as early as their 40s. Particulate matter (PM2.5) can be carriers for sulphur dioxide and even viruses. When they enter the lungs they will always stay there." With a 60% increase in lung cancer over a decade, there's definitely, "something in the air" Zhong believes China should decide which is more important, GDP or the health of the people.

It took the UK 30 years to eliminate London smog, but Professor

Zhong wants to use modern methods to cut down air

pollution within 10 years. Unfortunately, it seems he and Zhou are

in a minority, but new regulations will perhaps change that, if p

eople

can see a difference in their quality of life and less of the smells and

particles they see right now.

AUSTRALIA'S CARBON EMISSIONS RISING

As the Australian economy recovers from the economic slowdown of

2009, the levels of carbon dioxide emissions have also risen. The latest

data to be released by Australia's Department of Climate Change and

Energy Efficiency shows that the emissions of carbon for the year of

2010 are 0.5 percent higher than the emissions from 2009.

Industrial activity is being blamed for the increasing carbon emissions which have been highlighted in the report prepared by the National Greenhouse Accounts. Even though the annual carbon emissions from the industrial processes sector only accounts for around six percent of all total emissions, the levels from this sector increased by over 13 percent.

 

The occurrence of unusual natural climate events experienced last year across Australia, including much cooler than normal temperatures and increased rainfall and flooding, has led to a reduction in the demand for electricity as well as an increase in hydro-electric generation.

This has ultimately led to a decline in carbon emissions by the electricity sector. The other industry that also saw a reduction in the annual emission levels was the agricultural sector.

Australia's Minister for Climate Change, Greg Combet said that

the increase in carbon emissions follows a clear trend of long

term growth in levels since 1990: ''Despite a temporary, short-

term dip in carbon emissions as a result of reduced demand for

Australian goods following the Global Financial Crisis,

significant challenges remain in all sectors to reduce our carbon

emissions into the future''.

These latest National Greenhouse Accounts have now been

formally submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change.

The submission confirms that the 2009 levels of carbon emissions in Australia

are 103 percent above the 1990 levels, which is actually under Australia's Kyoto

target emission levels of 108 percent of the 1990 levels in the 2008-2012 period.

The Minister is focused now on driving Australia's investment in a clean energy

as well as the introduction of a price on carbon.

Bibliographic references

http://www.earthtimes.org/pollution/australia-carbon-emissions-rising/760/

http://www.earthtimes.org/pollution/pollution-chinese-air-people-rivers-seas/2292/