The World's Fair

China, the new great polluters. With their tremendous industrialization comes tremendous pollution. But what is the relationship between their shifting political system and the possibilities for a more ecologically sensible pattern of development (assuming that phrase is internally logical, "ecologically sensible pattern of development")?

Here is an interview from last Fall with Dale Wen, Chinese Native, Cal Tech PhD, and author of China Copes with Globalization: a Mixed Review, published by the International Forum on Globalization.

The interview touches on GMOs, western lifestyles in China, nuclear energy, capitalism, the Kyoto Protocol, and alternative ecological and economic paths for China's future. A slim interview, nothing meaty here, but that makes it easy to read on-line. Consider it an entry point to a bigger debate about what ecologized social democracy might mean.

Some excerpts. First, on the main environmental problems there:

What in your view are the three most serious environmental crises being faced by China at this point?

Water pollution and water scarcity; soil pollution, soil degradation and desertification; global warming and the coming energy crisis.

On lifestyle and international context:

Western environmentalists criticize Chinese for reproducing Western lifestyles that have a heavy impact on the environment? What can you say about this?

The criticism is right on target, as the rapid adoption of Western lifestyles by China's elites is a sad reality. But we should not forget why it is happening--the mainstream West (including the governments, the media and even some NGOs) has fiercely encouraged the middle class mentality and lifestyles in China, as they think these are the basis for western type of democracy. Western environmentalists would be more convincing to their Chinese audience if they also criticized the lifestyles in their own country and the influence of the West in spreading such lifestyles.

Some on greenhouse gases specifically, and Kyoto:

China is the second biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. Should China be subjected to mandatory limits for greenhouse gas emissions under a new Kyoto Protocol?

I think that under a new Kyoto Protocol, greenhouse gas emission quotas should be allocated on an equal per capita basis, and all countries should be subjected to such mandatory limits under a cap-and-trade arrangement....

Another issue is that in this age of transnational corporations, the boundaries of nation states are blurred. For example, if a forest in Indonesia is cut to supply Chinese factories set up by US companies, and the finished goods are exported to satisfy western consumers, who should be responsible for the GHG emissions in the process? I think the end-consumers should bear most responsibility.