This document discusses whether China should continue investing in alternative energy such as biomass and solar to reduce smog. It notes China's rapid economic growth and urbanization has increased demand for fossil fuels and caused heavy air pollution. Investing in alternative energy could help abate health risks from smog while providing economic and environmental benefits. However, challenges include China's geography trapping emissions, lack of technical skills cultivating alternative energy crops, and low prioritization of environmental issues relative to economic growth. Overall, the document weighs the pros and cons of China further developing alternative energy resources to address its worsening air pollution problems.

1. Should China
continue to invest
in alternative
energy to reduce
smog?

2. Personal Background
• Lived in China two separate
times and have an interest
in alternative energy

3. Background on
Modern Chinese
Development

4. Rise of the Free Market
 “A booming domestic economy, rapid
urbanization, increased export
processing, and the Chinese people's
voracious appetite for cars are
increasing the country's demand for oil
and natural gas, industrial and
construction materials, foreign capital
and technology.” (Jianhai and Zweig
2005)

5. (China Daily 2013)

6. 11
60
160
316 Million
1.25 Billion
1.37 Billion
USAIndiaChina
Relationship between Population and Number of cities
# of Cities with a Population of 1 Mill or more
(Nations Online 2013)

7. Air Quality Index Map Accumulated on 9 November 2014
(AQICN 2014)

8. (Mikael Bae 2012)

11. (Zhou 2010)
(Bae 2012) (Xinhua 2012)

12. PROS

13. Abated Health Factors
 Smog is a collection of ground level
ozone caused by the previous factors
mentioned
 Ozone can irritate the respiratory system
 Reduction in lung function
 Aggravation of existing respiratory
conditions
 Damage and inflame the lining of the
lungs
 There is testing going on showing a
suppression of immune systems ability to
fight infection
 Loss of Vitamin D

14. Economic Benefits
 “If half of the biomass resources were
used appropriately, the benefits from
biomass energy use could reach nearly
USD 120 billion. Furthermore, if advanced
biomass combustion techniques were
used, the energy transformation efficiency
could be improved by 35-40%” (Guo and
Li 2008)
 “The government recognizes that
domestic energy consumption from now
through 2020 could be reduced by a
quarter if less coal is burned and
efficiencies in the burgeoning
transportation and building sectors are
enhanced.” (Grumbine 2007)

15. Environmental Benefits
 “Biomass energy is considered to be a
clean energy resource because the
amount of contaminant materials is
only 10% of that in coal.” (Guo and Li
2008)
 “Chinese officials are preparing to
impose fuel-economy standards on
own cars for the first-time, with stricter
rules that prevail the US to reduce
emissions.” (Ellison 2004)

16. CONS

17. Major Geographic
Disadvantages
 “Beijing is a prisoner of geography:
Mountains to the west and north trap
emissions.” (Stone 2008)
 “Increases in the scale of urbanization
are dramatically reducing natural
vegetation and introducing nonnative
species in and around rapidly
developing ‘city clusters.’” (Grumbine
2007)
 “The Three Gorges dam stands as an
example of a potential ecological
disaster.” (Li and Shao 2006)

18. (JYL Culture Media 2007)

19. (NASA 2006)

20. They Cannot Cultivate the
Crops
i) Limited techniques for selection and
cultivation of energy plants and low
bioenergy use efficiency
ii) Difficulties in collection of bioenergy
materials due to widely scattered
distribution and limited/costly facilities
for bioenergy production
iii) Lack of basic scientific information and
technical support and lack of regional
planning on bioenergy development
and associated supportive policies, and
iv) Low economic interest and lack of
public awareness. “ (Guo and Li 2008)

21. Low on Gov’t Concern List
 “The city clusters have major advantages
in terms of regional economic
development: the drop in GDP due to
environmental pollution resulting from
such rapid economic growth has largely
been ignored.” (Li and Shao 2006)
 “Despite calls by Prime Minister
WenJiabao and other politicians to cut
consumption of energy and other
resources, there is little sign of this
appetite abating.” (Jianhai and Zweig
2005)

22. Cloud Seeding: Hiding the
Problem
(De Roche 2006)

24. Fashion: Commodification
(Co 2013)
(Quirky China News 2014)
(Mumbrella 2014)

25. Personal Input

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the-beijing-smog/.
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basics.html.
Ellison, Katherine. “China: Land of the Rising Smog.” Frontiers in Ecology and

27. Sources Pt 2
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Grumbine, Edward R. “China’s Emergence and the Prospects for Global
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28. Sources Pt 3
NASA (Photographer). 2006. Three Gorges River and Photo Gallery
[Photograph/Timelapse], Retrieved November 10, 2014 from
http://www.chinatravelca.com/places/three-gorges/.
Mumbrella (Image). 2014. Max Factor launches contest to find China’s most
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[Photograph], Retrieved November 10, 2014 from
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29. Sources Pt 4
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