The Fading of Chinese Environmental Secrecy: A Report on the Slow and Finally Stopping Degradation by 2030

1. Reference: U.S Government, Department of State, U.S. Embassy Beijing (March 1998). The Fading of Chinese Environmental Secrecy: A Report from U.S.Embassy March 1998. Retrieved 6/20/2000, Web site: http://www.usembassy-china.cn/english/sandt/chplca.htm

2. Goals 2010: Slow and Finally Stopthe Degradation • Can more degradation be allowed? • Air -- severe urban problems • Water -- running short • Land -- erosion threatens food supply • Biota -- reports of counties without birds (see Vaclav Smil, 1993) China Geography & Envr

3. Flooding on the Yangtze River Deforestation inSzechuan Water Quality Concerns Below Grade 5 water isn’t useable even by industry China Geography & Envr

4. 2020: Reverse Deterioration • Remove the worst Problems China Geography & Envr

5. 2030: “Achieve virtuous cycle of steady improvement” • Harmonious relationship betweeneconomic and environmental development • Sustainable Development China Geography & Envr

6. China Geography & Envr

7. So Where do things currently stand??? • Mixed signals appearing • Since 2000 much talk of speeding up the reversal of deterioration, however… China Geography & Envr

8. Coal Abatement Program

10. GAINS Cap & Trade or Carbon Tax???

11. Is this good enough??? Good start but won’t be enough to keep global temperature gain to under 2 degrees C

12. But should we point the finger? Bush Administration Greenhouse gas reduction policy was: • I have put our nation on a path to slow, stop, and eventually reverse the growth of our greenhouse gas emissions. In 2002, I announced our first step: to reduce America's greenhouse gas intensity by 18 percent through 2012. I'm pleased to say that we remain on track to meet this goal even as our economy has grown 17 percent. Bush Apr. 16, 2008 • (translation decrease the rate of increase by 18%) China Geography & Envr

13. When I took office seven years ago, we faced a problem. A number of nations around the world were preparing to implement the flawed approach of Kyoto Protocol. In 1997, the United States Senate took a look at the Kyoto approach and passed a resolution opposing this approach by a 95 to nothing vote. • The Kyoto Protocol would have required the United States to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. China Geography & Envr

14. We've shown that we can slow emissions growth. Today, I'm announcing a new national goal: to stop the growth of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. China Geography & Envr

15. Sound Familiar? • To be effective, this approach will -- this approach will require commitments by all major economies to slow, stop, and eventually reverse the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. To be economically sustainable, this approach must foster the economic growth necessary to pay for investments in new technology and to raise living standards. China Geography & Envr

16. Comparing China & USA Full text of Bush speech: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/04/president_bushs_speech_on_clim.html Review of Chinese speech: http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn/sandt/chplca.htm China Geography & Envr