Urbanization, Energy, and Air Pollution in China

Urbanization, Energy, and Air Pollution in China PDF Author: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309182123
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 308

Book Description
In October 2003, a group of experts met in Beijing under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Engineering (NAE)/National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies to continue a dialogue and eventually chart a rational course of energy use in China. This collection of papers is intended to introduce the reader to the complicated problems of urban air pollution and energy choices in China.

China's Environmental Policy and Urban Development

China's Environmental Policy and Urban Development PDF Author: Joyce Y. Man
Publisher: Lincoln Inst of Land Policy
ISBN: 9781558442481
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 214

Book Description
This volume tackles a range of ecological issues caused by rapid urban growth in China and examines the policies meant to protect the environment. It features discussions from leading scholars on current regulations, government decentralization and environmental protection, urban development, industrial air pollution, household greenhouse gas emissions, and transportation systems.

Blue Skies over Beijing

Blue Skies over Beijing PDF Author: Matthew E. Kahn
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691169365
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 284

Book Description
How individuals and the government are changing life in China's polluted cities Over the past thirty years, even as China's economy has grown by leaps and bounds, the environmental quality of its urban centers has precipitously declined due to heavy industrial output and coal consumption. The country is currently the world's largest greenhouse-gas emitter and several of the most polluted cities in the world are in China. Yet, millions of people continue moving to its cities seeking opportunities. Blue Skies over Beijing investigates the ways that China's urban development impacts local and global environmental challenges. Focusing on day-to-day choices made by the nation's citizens, families, and government, Matthew Kahn and Siqi Zheng examine how Chinese urbanites are increasingly demanding cleaner living conditions and consider where China might be headed in terms of sustainable urban growth. Kahn and Zheng delve into life in China's cities from the personal perspectives of the rich, middle class, and poor, and how they cope with the stresses of pollution. Urban parents in China have a strong desire to protect their children from environmental risk, and calls for a better quality of life from the rising middle class places pressure on government officials to support greener policies. Using the historical evolution of American cities as a comparison, the authors predict that as China's economy moves away from heavy manufacturing toward cleaner sectors, many of China's cities should experience environmental progress in upcoming decades. Looking at pressing economic and environmental issues in urban China, Blue Skies over Beijing shows that a cleaner China will mean more social stability for the nation and the world.

Environmental ScienceBites

Environmental ScienceBites PDF Author: Kylienne A. Clark
Publisher: The Ohio State University
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 594

Book Description
This book was written by undergraduate students at The Ohio State University (OSU) who were enrolled in the class Introduction to Environmental Science. The chapters describe some of Earth's major environmental challenges and discuss ways that humans are using cutting-edge science and engineering to provide sustainable solutions to these problems. Topics are as diverse as the students, who represent virtually every department, school and college at OSU. The environmental issue that is described in each chapter is particularly important to the author, who hopes that their story will serve as inspiration to protect Earth for all life.

Urban China

Urban China PDF Author: World Bank
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464802068
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 583

Book Description
In the last 30 years, China’s record economic growth lifted half a billion people out of poverty, with rapid urbanization providing abundant labor, cheap land, and good infrastructure. While China has avoided some of the common ills of urbanization, strains are showing as inefficient land development leads to urban sprawl and ghost towns, pollution threatens people’s health, and farmland and water resources are becoming scarce. With China’s urban population projected to rise to about one billion – or close to 70 percent of the country’s population – by 2030, China’s leaders are seeking a more coordinated urbanization process. Urban China is a joint research report by a team from the World Bank and the Development Research Center of China’s State Council which was established to address the challenges and opportunities of urbanization in China and to help China forge a new model of urbanization. The report takes as its point of departure the conviction that China's urbanization can become more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable. However, it stresses that achieving this vision will require strong support from both government and the markets for policy reforms in a number of area. The report proposes six main areas for reform: first, amending land management institutions to foster more efficient land use, denser cities, modernized agriculture, and more equitable wealth distribution; second, adjusting the hukou household registration system to increase labor mobility and provide urban migrant workers equal access to a common standard of public services; third, placing urban finances on a more sustainable footing while fostering financial discipline among local governments; fourth, improving urban planning to enhance connectivity and encourage scale and agglomeration economies; fifth, reducing environmental pressures through more efficient resource management; and sixth, improving governance at the local level.

Rethinking Global Land Use in an Urban Era

Rethinking Global Land Use in an Urban Era PDF Author: Karen C. Seto
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262026902
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 409

Book Description
Today, global land use is affected by a variety of factors, including urbanization and the growing interconnectedness of economies and markets. This book examines the challenges and opportunities we face in achieving sustainable land use in the twenty-first century. The contributors, from a range of disciplines and countries, present new analytical perspectives and tools for understanding key issues in global land use.

Economic Growth and Environmental Quality

Economic Growth and Environmental Quality PDF Author: Nemat Shafik
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN:
Category : Crecimiento economico
Languages : en
Pages : 55

Book Description
It is possible to "grow out of" some environmental problems, but there is nothing automatic about doing so. Action tends to be taken where there are generalized local costs and substantial private and social benefit. Where the costs of environmental degredation are borne by others (by the poor or by other countries), there are few incentives to alter damaging behavior. Trade, debt, and other macroeconomic policy variables seem to have little generalized effect on the environment.

Residential Energy Uses

Residential Energy Uses PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Dwellings
Languages : en
Pages : 2

Book Description


Air Pollution in Eastern Asia: An Integrated Perspective

Air Pollution in Eastern Asia: An Integrated Perspective PDF Author: Idir Bouarar
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319594893
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 498

Book Description
This book, written by an international group of experts from China, Europe and the USA, presents a broad and comprehensive analysis of the chemical and meteorological processes responsible for the formation of air pollutants in eastern Asia, and in particular for the development of severe pollution episodes observed primarily during winter in the northeastern part of China. With the rapid population growth, economic development and urbanization occurring in Asia, air pollution has become a major environmental problem in this part of the world. The book is organized around six distinct parts. The first part of the volume offers a general perspective on issues related to air pollution including persistent haze events in eastern and southern Asia. The second part presents an overview of air pollution sources (i.e., anthropogenic and biomass burning sources). The third part analyzes in-situ observations of chemical species in China, while the fourth part focuses on space observations of gas-phase and aerosol species. The modeling aspects are treated in the fifth part of the volume, which includes a presentation of several air quality forecast systems and an assessment of the role of urbanization on air pollution levels. Finally, the effects of air pollution on health and crop productivity in China are discussed in the last part of the book. The book also presents an integrated view of past and present situations in Asia and provides the scientific basis from which mitigation policies can be established and air quality can be improved. Audience: This book is written for scientists, educators, students, environmental managers, policy-makers and leaders in public administration and private corporations who wish to use science-based information to mitigate air pollution. The book should help decision-makers to design effective policies for air quality improvement and to successfully manage short-term air pollution episodes that substantially affect people’s quality of life and strongly impact the economy.

The Power of Renewables

The Power of Renewables PDF Author: Chinese Academy of Engineering
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309160006
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Book Description
The United States and China are the world's top two energy consumers and, as of 2010, the two largest economies. Consequently, they have a decisive role to play in the world's clean energy future. Both countries are also motivated by related goals, namely diversified energy portfolios, job creation, energy security, and pollution reduction, making renewable energy development an important strategy with wide-ranging implications. Given the size of their energy markets, any substantial progress the two countries make in advancing use of renewable energy will provide global benefits, in terms of enhanced technological understanding, reduced costs through expanded deployment, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to conventional generation from fossil fuels. Within this context, the U.S. National Academies, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), reviewed renewable energy development and deployment in the two countries, to highlight prospects for collaboration across the research to deployment chain and to suggest strategies which would promote more rapid and economical attainment of renewable energy goals. Main findings and concerning renewable resource assessments, technology development, environmental impacts, market infrastructure, among others, are presented. Specific recommendations have been limited to those judged to be most likely to accelerate the pace of deployment, increase cost-competitiveness, or shape the future market for renewable energy. The recommendations presented here are also pragmatic and achievable.