Air Pollution In China: Personal Stories And Insights

China's air pollution is a pressing issue that has garnered international attention. The country's rapid industrialization has resulted in notoriously poor air quality, threatening the health and well-being of its 1.4 billion citizens. With China being the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, its environmental crisis endangers not only its people but also the global fight against climate change. This situation has sparked discussions and actions to address the problem, with the Chinese government implementing policies and regulations to curb emissions and improve air quality. However, the challenge of balancing economic growth with environmental and social welfare remains. Studies have been conducted to understand the impact of air pollution on public health, political trust, and government legitimacy, while also exploring the progress made and the obstacles faced in China's battle against air pollution.

The impact of China's air pollution on the health of its citizens

China's air pollution has a significant impact on the health of its citizens, causing about 2 million deaths in the country each year. This figure includes deaths attributed to both ambient outdoor air pollution and household air pollution. The indoor deaths are caused by the use of polluting fuels and technologies for cooking. The outdoor air pollution in China's cities is so severe that it often leaves citizens with no choice but to wear masks to protect themselves from the toxic air.

Beijing, in particular, has been blanketed by heavy smog in recent years, with the city's industries leading the world in mercury emissions, a harmful neurotoxin. This toxic air pollution poses a serious threat to the health of China's citizens, as well as having wider implications for global health and the world's economy. The destruction of the environment by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been criticised for having a detrimental impact on the health of its own people, as well as globally.

The CCP's domestic repression, including restrictions on press freedoms, has been cited as a factor in slowing down necessary changes to reduce emissions and improve the environment. However, there have been some positive developments, with the US embassy in Beijing beginning to monitor the city's air quality in 2008 and sharing this data publicly. This led to China strengthening its standards for monitoring air quality and making improvements.

The impact of China's air pollution on its citizens' health is evident, with an estimated 1.24 million people dying from exposure to air pollution in 2017 alone, according to a study in The Lancet. Since 2000, the number of deaths attributed to air pollution in China has exceeded 30 million, as reported by New Scientist magazine. These figures highlight the urgent need for further action to address this issue and protect the health and well-being of China's population.

The Chinese government's efforts to combat air pollution

The Chinese government has implemented various measures to combat air pollution, particularly in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH or Jing-Jin-Ji) region, which experienced severe air pollution with annual average fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations far exceeding national and World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

One key measure is the Air Pollution Action Plan, released in September 2013, which targets a reduction in PM2.5 levels and addresses ground-level ozone pollution by setting emission reduction targets for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides. The government has also invested heavily in afforestation and reforestation programs, such as the Great Green Wall, planting over 35 billion trees across 12 provinces with investments exceeding $100 billion.

Additionally, China has focused on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, improving energy efficiency, and increasing renewable energy sources. The Innovative Financing for Air Pollution Control Program, supported by the World Bank and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has helped reduce emissions by 2.5 million tons per year. The program has also financed subprojects in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and emission control, with a total investment of $1.3 billion.

Furthermore, between 2015 and 2018, the Chinese government implemented measures such as air quality monitoring and energy structure adjustments, leading to a decrease in PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO2 concentrations in the BTH and surrounding regions. These efforts have contributed to significant health benefits, avoiding thousands of premature deaths attributed to air pollution exposure.

The Chinese government has also set targets for reducing total emissions of SO2 and NOx by the end of 2020, as well as the concentration of PM2.5 and the number of days with severe pollution compared to 2015 levels. These targets include increasing the installation of clean heating devices and replacing unorganized coal burning with cleaner alternatives.

The social, economic, and political problems caused by air pollution in China

Air pollution in China has resulted in severe social, economic, and political issues. The social problems caused by air pollution in China are evident in the millions of premature deaths worldwide each year, with air pollution being a significant contributor. The public health hazard has frustrated many Chinese citizens, as depicted in the viral 2015 documentary "Under the Dome" by Chinese reporter Chai Jing.

Economic problems have also arisen from air pollution, with a 2018 report by Greenpeace and the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air estimating that air pollution led to economic costs of up to 6.6% of China's GDP. Moreover, a 2018 study from the Chinese University of Hong Kong estimates an annual loss of RMB 267 billion ($38 billion) in revenue due to early deaths and reduced food production as a result of air pollution. The challenge of balancing economic growth with environmental and social welfare is significant, as China's rapid economic growth, powered by cheap and highly polluting sources of energy, has lifted millions out of poverty at the cost of immense environmental degradation.

Political issues have also surfaced as a result of air pollution in China. Studies have indicated that air pollution may be a challenge to the popular standing of the Communist Party of China's rule, with Chinese citizens' trust in the government being associated with perceived and observed air pollution.

Furthermore, China faces the challenge of meeting its global climate commitments while also addressing its domestic air pollution problems. In the 2015 Paris Agreement, China pledged to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and increase the share of non-fossil fuels to 20% of total consumption. President Xi Jinping also announced in 2020 that China aims to be carbon neutral by 2060. However, it remains uncertain whether these goals will be achieved, as they require trade-offs between economic growth and the social and environmental well-being of citizens.

The role of industrialization in China's air pollution crisis

China's environmental crisis is the result of decades of rapid industrialization. As the world's largest source of carbon emissions and greenhouse gas emissions, China suffers from notoriously poor air quality. Its carbon-intensive industries have caused additional environmental challenges, including water scarcity and soil contamination.

China's industrialization has led to a tenfold increase in GDP over the last 15 years, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. However, this growth has come at the expense of the environment and public health. The country's energy consumption has soared, with reports indicating that its coal consumption may be much higher than previously reported. China's carbon emissions threaten global efforts to combat climate change, and its broader environmental degradation endangers economic growth, public health, and government legitimacy.

The trajectory of China's industrialization is similar to that of other modernizing nations, such as the UK in the early nineteenth century. However, experts argue that China's environmental footprint is far greater than that of any other single country. The country's industrialization has resulted in a proliferation of township and village enterprises (TVEs), which generated almost a third of its national GDP in 1997. Local governments have struggled to monitor and enforce environmental standards, often prioritizing economic targets over environmental concerns.

China has demonstrated a capacity to reduce emissions when they become a high policy priority, as seen during the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics. The country has committed significant resources to environmental improvement and has implemented policies to curb emissions, such as signing the 2015 Paris Agreement and pledging to be carbon neutral by 2060. However, following through on these commitments remains challenging due to the complex interactions between central, provincial, and local governments, as well as the need to balance economic growth with environmental protection.

Public perception and trust in the government regarding air pollution

Air pollution has become a highly politicised issue in China, with scholars, commentators, and policymakers pointing to it as a potential challenge to the Communist Party of China's rule. The public's perception of the government's handling of air pollution is essential to maintaining political support and regime legitimacy, especially during unexpected downturns.

The Chinese context provides a unique setting for studying the relationship between air pollution and trust in the government. Firstly, local officials are evaluated by upper-level government rather than citizens, allowing public discontent to grow and evolve into lower political trust. Secondly, citizens generally exhibit a higher level of trust in the central government than in local governments, yet most policies are implemented at the local level, making trust in local governments imperative for the regime's efficient functioning.

Research has shown notable differences in air pollution-trust dynamics depending on whether air pollution is measured through scientific observations or citizen perceptions. While the probability for trusting provincial governments was higher in localities with more observed air pollution, the perceived air quality was more critical to political trust than the actual air quality. The more serious the air pollution is perceived to be by the public, the more dissatisfied they are with the environmental protection work of the local government.

From 2013 to 2021, the Chinese public's evaluation of local governments' environmental work significantly increased, while their perception of air pollution decreased. This improvement in environmental governance is reflected in the country's ranking in the 2022 Global Environmental Performance Index (EPI), where China ranked 160th out of 180 countries, indicating a notable decline in air pollution levels.

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