Chinese are apathetic about environmental protection, a national
report claims. For a nation wanting to build an environmentally
friendly country, this is bad news.
But worse still, China will miss its "Green GDP" target of
reducing energy consumption for 2006, the National Development and
Reform Commission predicted at the end of last year.
We have yet to wait for the final 2006 statistics on environment
but we have already learned that China had an increase of 0.8
percent in its energy consumption per unit of GDP in the first half
of last year, and indexes of major pollutants have also continued
to rise.
The gap is definitely not small between the reality and the
government target and there is no sign of it being reduced.
Therefore the general public is an easy scapegoat and their lack
of environmental participation is to blame, claimed the State
Environmental Protection Administration's annual report on
environmental awareness.
"Chinese people are dissatisfied with the state of the
environment but they seldom take part in environmental protection
activities," the report says.
The report may alert the general public: As Chinese we need to
care more about our environment and make it fit for our habitation.
It is in our own interest that we take action, and now.
But next come my questions: what about government officials? Are
they aware of the aggravating environment? Are they aware of the
environmental impact of their decisions? Is their environmental
awareness higher than the general public or vice versa?
Answers to these questions are not yet available but we need to
know. I believe the government and the economy are the two
fundamental driving forces that shape our environment.
It is known to all that the pollute-then-treat model experienced
by some developed nations has been copied in many parts of
China.
For instance, many small enterprises have prospered in both the
Yangtze and Pearl River deltas, and they have achieved their
success at the expense of the environment. What's more, the
industrialization process in the two regions is much faster than
developed nations, presenting a more serious threat to the
environment.
No doubt growth patterns affect the environment and it is
important we look at different patterns when we discuss
environmental issues. However, in my opinion, it is more important
that we look at the government and its officials because their
environmental awareness and attitudes are decisive in designing
growth patterns, which in turn, will have a huge impact on the
landscape.
When designing a path for local development, government
officials are usually GDP-oriented, and their growth-at-all-costs
attitude, more often than not, leads them to not-so-scientific
decisions, which can be detrimental to the environment.
The reasons behind their practice are simple: a high growth rate
is seen as a good to excellent performance in the official
evaluation system.
In their quest for better performances they pursue a high growth
rate. They believe that their political careers have to be built
that way.
Too many have been promoted on the credit of their localities'
high growth rate their political achievements in other words.
Seldom do we hear officials held accountable for aggravating the
environment and being demoted thereafter.
As a matter of fact, officials follow the convenient path and
practice after their predecessors.
The latest example was in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu
Province.
Last week, we learned air pollution in the city was so serious
that Mayor Zhang Jinliang asked civil servants to walk to work on
days when the pollution level was very high.
Despite the local government and its people's efforts to improve
the environment, Lanzhou remains one of the 10 most polluted cities
in the world.
We can easily lay the blame on the city's special geographic and
climatic conditions for the serious situation. But that is of
little help since we can hardly change the conditions.
If we scrutinize the other two main factors heavy industrial
emissions and the use of coal as the main source of fuel, the
government has to take the blame.
I do not mean to say that the government has done little to
improve. But the fact is, the government has done much harm to the
situation by approving more projects, which were not
environmentally friendly in this ecologically sensitive region.
It is just a week after Mayor Zhang's call that I have learned
from www.gsjb.com, Lanzhou will speed up construction of some heavy
industrial projects and chemical plants as well. The city will also
build an auto factory with an annual capacity of 100,000 cars.
I find it hard to convince myself that the city government is
serious about the environment. Even if all civil servants walk to
work in answer to the mayor's call, will the action help reduce the
pollution to be caused by these new projects?
When accountability is not in place, there is no way we can
check the government's desire for fast growth.
It is clear if the incentive-driven system in which
growth-pollution is rewarded by promotion, officials will be
encouraged to walk the same path. So why not clear the roadblock
and set environment standard for governments at all levels? Green
GDP may be a good beginning.
(China Daily January 29, 2007)