Comments on: The Limits of Control: a skeptic’s view on China, Copenhagen, and Compliance

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:34:53 +0000

Uln -

In answer to your first question: yes, absolutely. It’s a serious, nationwide problem in China. Agencies are under-staffed and – equally important – under-paid.

In re to your second question: I don’t know have an answer, though I suspect that you are quite right about the low-quality of pollution mitigation devices on Chinese-manufactured automobiles. That’s an excellent suggestion for investigation.

By: Uln

Uln — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:32:59 +0000

Great post, I learned something there. I work myself in a polluting industry but I never had the chance to stay there and see what the locals do when we are gone. I often wonder why China was so polluted when, on the paper, regulations and standards are for the most part up to international level (this I can confirm)

One question I want to ask: wouldn’t you say that this phenomenon of 1- understaffed supervision agencies and 2-collusion with local governments applies as well to other industries like consumer goods or foodstuffs? I mean, wasn’t the Sanlu affair as well a case of local corruption + lack of supervision?

And related to this: would you say cars in China are more polluting than in the West for the same reasons? (ie the built in catalyzers or filters they use and/or the quality of the petrol sold is not properly controlled, even if on the paper they should be Western standards)

thanks!

By: Feng

Feng — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:55:11 +0000

If you ever had a chance to talk to local academic people or politicians in China, you will realize that climate change is still not on their top agenda, and they have more to worry about direct pollution and toxicity from the industries. The reason is clear, ’cause you don’t expect people to drive BMW when they are just about to earn sufficient food.

I think the main incentives for China to join in this global debate are the pressure from the States to push China making promise and self-motivation for making a positive image globally. It is all about politics…

By: Kev

Kev — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:21:12 +0000

You’ve just written what many in the CN government will never admit to.

By: hajob

hajob — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:26:06 +0000

Carbon emiss wont directly kill anyone. It’s effects will be felt decades from now. Toxic waste being dumped into the main water sources of the country IS killing people TODAY. Cancer villages on the rise. Inability to use the water will choke the country in 15-20 or so years if the trend continues.

By: Forest for Trees

Forest for Trees — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:03:55 +0000

Excellent. First person I’ve read who isn’t under the influence of the think tank crowd and their china centric view of copenhagen. Anybody putting faith in China to make this happen doesn’t know anything about China.

By: peternh

peternh — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:19:52 +0000

What a pleasure to read something realistic after all the limply positive reporting on China’s promises, claims that China is the only country taking real steps, has the worlds largest environmental ‘roll-outs’, etc. It might only have been added, just for clarity, that even the announced 40-45% reduction in carbon intensity still means an increase in emissions, even supposing there was even the slightest chance such a target would be met.