[aldo_14]

US tells China to tackle pollution

[q]The US has told China to get its environmental act togther ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, saying that "the world was watching its environmental protection efforts" in the run-up to the sportsfest.

That's according to US Environmental Protection Agency administrator Stephen Johnson who, Reuters reports, told it like it was during a speech at Beijing's Qinghua University. He added: "More environmental protection progress can and must occur."

Specifically, Johnson called for "more stringent enforcement of central government environmental policy" and "greater co-operation between China's levels of government" to get to grips with the problem.

Johnson does have a point. As he gave forth, a pall of pollution hung over Beijing and the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) reported that the city had enjoyed its lowest number of "blue sky" days (official measure of low-pollution days) in five years.

The Chinese will no doubt jump to it forthwith and look to another Olympic city - Los Angeles - for pointers on how to tackle air pollution. ®
[/q]

[Turnsky]

the irony is delicious. 

[Col. Fishguts]

*facepalms*

[an0n]

If I was the Chinese Premier, I'd just issue a statement literally telling the US to "go **** themselves".

Seriously.

I'd say it in English and everything.

[Mefustae]

If I was the Chinese Premier, I'd just issue a statement literally telling the US to "go **** themselves".

Seriously.

I'd say it in English and everything.

I'd go for something a little more subtle...

*Chinese Premier walks out to the podium before millions of cheering Chinese people*

"In response to US calls for new environmental policies..."

*Chinese Premier flips the bird*

*Chinese Premier slowly walks away from podium*

[Grey Wolf]

Doubt that they honestly expect the Chinese to comply. Actually, the US wouldn't like them to comply at all. After all, they're our excuse not to follow Kyoto.

[Fineus]

I find myself agreeing with an0n and Mefu. on this one. How the US can say that without expecting backlash is quite beyond me... heck I expect both American and Chinese people to respond to the US Environment Agency saying "what about you?" and then some.

Oh.. and since when does the US have any power over China or the Olympics? I didn't think the Olympics were a US entity and neither is China... this is just the US blowing its horn. 

[an0n]

The IOC is riddled with corruption. And nothing says 'corruption' like US sponsors going "Hey, guys - **** China?"

[Kosh]

Beijing's air quality is terrible. The government has tried doing things to get it better (like replacing all of its buses with cleaner ones, and same with the taxis), but it is being drowned out.

I read a survey that stated that 40% of the pollution is from cars, and 30% is from all of the construction. There is a cutoff date when all construction in the city must stop (about a year ahead of the Olympics, IIRC) so everyone is trying to build as much **** as they can. As for the cars, it is because lots of people in Beijing own cars, so now traffic is absolutly evil.   

[Shade]

I would suspect they're not exactly the newest, cleanest, and most fuel efficient cars either?

[Janos]

I find myself agreeing with an0n and Mefu. on this one. How the US can say that without expecting backlash is quite beyond me... heck I expect both American and Chinese people to respond to the US Environment Agency saying "what about you?" and then some.

Oh.. and since when does the US have any power over China or the Olympics? I didn't think the Olympics were a US entity and neither is China... this is just the US blowing its horn. 

Chinese enviroment is in horrible condition. Unrecycled wastes, chemicals, mercury and **** is literally poured into rivers. Overpopulation, erosion, ****. It's pretty damn bad.

Climate is not the only enviroment, dudes.

[aldo_14]

I find myself agreeing with an0n and Mefu. on this one. How the US can say that without expecting backlash is quite beyond me... heck I expect both American and Chinese people to respond to the US Environment Agency saying "what about you?" and then some.

Oh.. and since when does the US have any power over China or the Olympics? I didn't think the Olympics were a US entity and neither is China... this is just the US blowing its horn. 

Chinese enviroment is in horrible condition. Unrecycled wastes, chemicals, mercury and **** is literally poured into rivers. Overpopulation, erosion, ****. It's pretty damn bad.

Climate is not the only enviroment, dudes.

China has one of the lowest per-capita pollution rates, though.

Albiet, the fact that the country is ****ing huge and has a lot of poverty-level agricultural peasant workers might kind of hint that.  Plus when the environmentally friendly approach includes devastating environmental changes caused by giant hydro-electric dams... someone should have a wee word with them about it.

But America?  Crikey, now that's throwing stones in a glass house.

[Janos]

I find myself agreeing with an0n and Mefu. on this one. How the US can say that without expecting backlash is quite beyond me... heck I expect both American and Chinese people to respond to the US Environment Agency saying "what about you?" and then some.

Oh.. and since when does the US have any power over China or the Olympics? I didn't think the Olympics were a US entity and neither is China... this is just the US blowing its horn. 

Chinese enviroment is in horrible condition. Unrecycled wastes, chemicals, mercury and **** is literally poured into rivers. Overpopulation, erosion, ****. It's pretty damn bad.

Climate is not the only enviroment, dudes.

China has one of the lowest per-capita pollution rates, though.

Albiet, the fact that the country is ****ing huge and has a lot of poverty-level agricultural peasant workers might kind of hint that.  Plus when the environmentally friendly approach includes devastating environmental changes caused by giant hydro-electric dams... someone should have a wee word with them about it.

But America?  Crikey, now that's throwing stones in a glass house.

Well it can be ironic, but their previous acts don't exactly nullify their current point, do they? Aldo aldo, you should know better!

[Kosh]

I find myself agreeing with an0n and Mefu. on this one. How the US can say that without expecting backlash is quite beyond me... heck I expect both American and Chinese people to respond to the US Environment Agency saying "what about you?" and then some.

Oh.. and since when does the US have any power over China or the Olympics? I didn't think the Olympics were a US entity and neither is China... this is just the US blowing its horn.

Chinese enviroment is in horrible condition. Unrecycled wastes, chemicals, mercury and **** is literally poured into rivers. Overpopulation, erosion, ****. It's pretty damn bad.

Climate is not the only enviroment, dudes.

No arguements from me about this. The environment is one of China's ticking time bombs, and I am pretty sure that the government and the people are finally waking up to this. If things keeps going the way they are, China might become uninhabitable in 20 something years.

There are many problems with enforcing the environmental regulations. One of them is that the central government actually doesn't have any real power over the local authorities. The other problem is that the local authorities are often corrupt. It is cheaper for a factory owner to buy off the local party official than to stop dumping toxic **** into the rivers. Since the local authorities literally answer to no one, it is quite difficult to stop them.