Does China care about the environment?
Peter Tzeng
Natural Resources Defense Council
Beijing, China
Summer 2010

Context
China’s Human Development Index (1975-2008)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Problems
• Air Pollution
• Auto Boom
• CO
2
Emissions
• Energy Consumption
• Coal Consumption
• Direct Environmental Damages

Problem: Auto
China’s Automobile Growth (1990-2008)
Source: The Economist, National Bureau of Statistics of China

Problem: CO
2
China’s CO
2
Emissions (1970-2006)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Problem: CO
2
World’s CO
2
Emissions (1970-2006)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Problem: CO
2
World’s CO
2
Emissions (1970-2006)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Problem: Energy
China’s Energy Consumption (2009)
Source: ABC News , July 20, 2010

Problem: Energy
China’s Energy Consumption (2009)
Source: ABC News , July 20, 2010 Source: Bloomberg , August 11, 2010

Problem: Coal
World’s Energy Consumption Structures (2007)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Problem: Coal
World’s Energy Consumption Structures (2007)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Problem: Coal
World’s Longest Traffic Jam (2010)
Source: Bloomberg , August 24 2010

Problem: Direct Damages
Copper Mine Leak (2010)
Source: China Daily , July 30 2010

Problem: Direct Damages
Dalian Oil Spill (2010)
Source: Global Times , July 19 2010

Problem: Direct Damages
Dalian Oil Spill (2010)
Source: Global Times , July 19 2010 Source: New York Times , August 4 2010

• Per Capita
• Per GDP
Two Facts

Fact: Per Capita
World’s Per Capita CO
2
Emissions (1980-2006)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Fact: Per Capita
World’s Per Capita CO
2
Emissions (1980-2006)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Fact: Per GDP
World’s Change in Carbon Intensity (1971-2007)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Fact: Per GDP
World’s Change in Carbon Intensity (1971-2007)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Responses
• Renewables
• Investment
• Crackdowns
• New Technology

Response: Renewables
China’s Wind Energy Market (2009)
Source: Popular Science , August 5 2010

Response: Renewables
Renewable Electric Power Capacity (2009)
Source: REN21 Renewables 2010 Global Status Report

Response: Renewables
Renewable Electric Power Capacity (2009)
Source: REN21 Renewables 2010 Global Status Report

Response: Renewables
Renewable Electric Power Capacity (2009)
Source: REN21 Renewables 2010 Global Status Report

Response: Renewables
Public Market Investment & Growth (2008-2009)
Unit: $ Billion
Source: UNEP Bloomberg Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment Report 2010

Response: Investment
Alternative Energy and Reforestation (2010)
Source: Bloomberg , August 18 2010

Response: Investment
Clean Energy (2010)
Source: China Daily , July 21 2010

Response: Crackdowns
Closing Coal Plants (2010)
Source: Xinhua News , July 25 2010

Response: New Technology
Smart Grid Plans (2010)
Source: China Daily , August 13 2010

Response: New Technology
Solar-powered Train Station (2010)
Source: Clean Technica , July 20 2010

Response: New Technology
“Overground” Bus Pilot Project (2010)
Source: Clean Technica , August 3 2010

Provincial
Carbon Intensity at the Provincial Level (2007)
Source: UNDP China Human Development Report 2009/10

Policy Making
Political System
Source: Xinhua News , 2009

Policy Making
Pilot Carbon Trading (2010)
Source: Reuters , August 12, 2010

Views on the Street
• Air
• Water
• Traffic
• Road to IM
• Limits on AC
• Wind Turbines in IM
• Reusable chopsticks

Views on the Street
• Air
• Water
• Traffic
• Road to IM
• Limits on AC
• Wind Turbines in IM
• Reusable chopsticks

Views on the Street
• Air
• Water
• Traffic
• Road to IM
• Limits on AC
• Wind Turbines in IM
• Reusable chopsticks

Views on the Street
• Air
• Water
• Traffic
• Road to IM
• Limits on AC
• Wind Turbines in IM
• Reusable chopsticks

Views on the Street
• Air
• Water
• Traffic
• Road to IM
• Limits on AC
• Wind Turbines in IM
• Reusable chopsticks

Views on the Street
• Air
• Water
• Traffic
• Road to IM
• Limits on AC
• Wind Turbines in IM
• Reusable chopsticks

Views on the Street
• Air
• Water
• Traffic
• Road to IM
• Limits on AC
• Wind Turbines in IM
• Reusable chopsticks

Views on the Street
• Air
• Water
• Traffic
• Road to IM
• Limits on AC
• Wind Turbines in IM
• Reusable chopsticks

Views on the Street
• Air
• Water
• Traffic
• Road to IM
• Limits on AC
• Wind Turbines in IM
• Reusable chopsticks

Conclusion
• Problems
• Facts
• Responses
• Views on the Street

Disclaimer
• This presentation is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the
Princeton Environmental Institute, or Princeton in Asia.
• In addition to the sources cited throughout this presentation, other sources used include: www.democraticunderground.com, www.lead.org, www.inquisitr.com, www.nangka.org, and www.tourochina.com.au.

Thanks