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Olympian environmental challenges for Beijing

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Cleaning up Beijing for the Olympics Games, one of the world's worst polluted cities, was always going to be a herculean effort. In the last week before the games, authorities have seen the particulate matter content of the city's air yo-yo back and forth, from an optimistic clear sky on the weekend, to a return of heavy haze by the time of the opening ceremonies.

The IOC has been monitoring the situation and has been impressed with the lengths that the Beijing authorities have gone to ensure a safe games. UNEP has also been working with the Beijing Olympic Committee as noted in this IPS article. On the whole, despite the pollution caused by the heavy construction ahead of the games, the Olympics will be a net positive for China's environment, focusing attention on a grave problem.

The Asia Society has put together a slide show to highlight the problem of China's worsening air situation, and how China may try to correct this through a call for "scientific" development that finally recognizes the environmental impact of the country's rapid economic development.

Solar water heaters take off in China

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Solar water heaters have been around for many decades now, but it has only been in the last few years that the technology has begun to escape the domain of specialized international development projects and alternative energy conventions.

Cost effective in southern climes where they are becoming increasingly popular in rural areas, solar water heaters are also coming into vogue in the north, where financial incentives in some jurisdictions are subsidizing the high start up costs that accrue due to the additional technical requirements for winter weather. When the savings in zero emissions and zero energy consumption are factored in, the technology becomes a vital weapon in the fight against climate change.

Recently, China has joined Israel and Spain as one of the countries where this technology is wildly popular. Indeed, the price of basic models in China has dropped considerably, going for about a fifth of the price in the West. China's advance is also seen in the improved technology that allows heaters to continue to function under adverse weather conditions. However, even this affordability has its competitors as pictured to the right with the beer bottle powered contraption invented by a carpenter in China' rural hinterland.

In the video clip below, the New Scientist visits the Chinese coastal city of Rizhao where solar heaters are being used to supplement electrical heaters:

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If you'd like more information on solar water heating systems, the Canadian government maintains a resource page that may be of help for the Canadian context.

Climate Change’s Biggest Threat

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Collapsing ice shelfs? Nope, perhaps the gravest impact of climate change on humankind will stem from the melting glaciers of the Himalayas. These enormous ice fields feed the river systems that have sustained Indian and Chinese civilizations for millennia. With their rapid retreat, the lives of over 2 billion people are at risk due to rivers like the Ganga, Yellow, and Yangtze being reduced to a seasonal trickle for the first time in recorded history.

The timeline for the near disappearance of these glaciers has been moved up due the accelerated pace of melting. Many could disappear altogether even before the mid-century mark. These alarming trends and their grave impact on food production have been noted by Lester Brown and the folks at the Earth Policy Institute. You can also listen to a podcast of this issue, which is also part of the general discussion on their latest book, Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization.

China’s environmental struggles

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There's some encouraging news from China where the judiciary is moving to ban plastic bags and go just a little bit greener. It goes without saying that the fate of any global efforts towards sustainability will depend heavily on the actions of countries like China, now home to much of the manufacturing capacity of the world. However, the country has a long way to go to rein in Western-style consumerism unleashed by its economic transformation and emergence of an affluent middle class. Moreover, the enormous demands of its industries for power and resources, are only eclipsed by the titanic levels of pollution that are prompting hundreds of protests throughout China's countryside. As such, China's fate will very much depend on whether the tattered regulatory mechanism of its state can effectively implement environmental policies and safeguards, and whether its leaders will have the foresight and resolve necessary to struggle with these issues beyond simply cleaning up Beijing for the Olympics this fall.

The Toronto Star also carries a detailed article on China's green leap forward. Despite the ginormous challenges, China seems to be on the move.

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