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Step Forward for Environmental Transparency in China
I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a gathering in China before. Nearly one hundred people - including city, provincial and central government officials, business leaders and NGO representatives - met in Beijing to discuss their efforts to...
Will China's New Leaders Clean Up the Environment?
I was trying to clean the coal dust from the windows of my dingy Beijing apartment one day in March 1992 when the phone rang with astonishing news. Nearly one-third of the delegates to the National People’s Congress had just abstained or voted...
Hong Kong Air Pollution: Restoring the Fragrant Harbour
Hazardous air pollution not only continues to plague much of China, but is now also stifling Hong Kong, the vibrant city whose Chinese name means “Fragrant Harbour.” Here is the view of Hong Kong that greeted me this weekend. It’s almost as if...
Advocate Could Become China's Minister of Environmental Protection
Leaders of the Chinese government gathered in Beijing yesterday for the National People’s Congress, an annual meeting in which the top legislative body discusses and votes on major issues and legislation. During this year’s NPC, several new members...
Strengthening Beijing Air Pollution Control and Regulations
Beijing residents continue to struggle with choking levels of hazardous air pollution, compounded by a sandstorm, causing the government to urge people to stay indoors and take steps to protect themselves. A new study published on Wednesday...
Air Pollution Crisis: New Momentum for Regulation in China
The recent spate of severe air pollution in China has shone a spotlight on the need for strong environmental regulation in China and prompted the government to move forward with a number of new environmental policies and laws – some of which have...
Air Pollution in China Should be a Catalyst for Air Pollution Action
This post was co-written with my colleagues Christine Xu and Jake Schmidt.While many Beijing residents have long voiced concern and discontent over air pollution levels, it took possibly the worst air pollution in recent history to get the...
Cutting Air Pollution & Strengthening Information Transparency in China
Power plant emissions and air quality standards targeting some of the most harmful impacts of coal are coming under greater scrutiny starting this year in China. As of January 1, new thermal power plants have tougher restrictions on soot, sulfur...
How China Can Advance Sustainable Development Globally
Nearly two decades ago, I helped advise China on a blueprint for national sustainability in the 21st century. The blueprint – known as Agenda 21 – was prepared jointly by more than fifty different government agencies, state-owned enterprises...
The Next 5 Years of Clean Energy and Climate Protection in China
With the adoption of its Twelfth Five-Year Plan, the Chinese government has cemented key long-term strategies for greening GDP, controlling energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and key pollutants, and capitalizing on the growing low-carbon economy (...
Tackling 'Unsustainable Economic Growth' in China
China puts forth energy intensity, carbon intensity and total energy consumption targets in its twelfth five-year plan in an effort to tackle "unsustainable economic growth."China’s annual parliamentary session opened Saturday morning, with 3,000...
