There can be no question that the epic story of our time is our struggle to endure against the threatening demons of our own creation. In that story, China must be the sleeping giant. As the story opens, the giant awakens, searching for a way to improve the livelihood of his people, inadvertently trampling on a number of the Earth’s delicate structures in doing so. Realizing this, a second awakening occurs. But can the giant change direction quickly enough, before too much harm is done?
The damage that re-directed the giant was the realization that fossil fuel emissions, particularly from coal-fired power plants, are pushing atmospheric carbon levels to dangerously high levels. China’s emissions have grown 7 percent annually — far faster than the rest of the world, which is growing at 2.8 percent. Now that we all realize that emissions have to start decreasing, fast, China has pledged to achieve peak emissions by 2030, after which its emissions will begin to decrease.
There can be no question that the epic story of our time is our struggle to endure against the threatening demons of our own creation. In that story, China must be the sleeping giant. As the story opens, the giant awakens, searching for a way to improve the livelihood of his people, inadvertently trampling on a number of the Earth’s delicate structures in doing so. Realizing this, a second awakening occurs. But can the giant change direction quickly enough, before too much harm is done?
The damage that re-directed the giant was the realization that fossil fuel emissions, particularly from coal-fired power plants, are pushing atmospheric carbon levels to dangerously high levels. China’s emissions have grown 7 percent annually — far faster than the rest of the world, which is growing at 2.8 percent. Now that we all realize that emissions have to start decreasing, fast, China has pledged to achieve peak emissions by 2030, after which its emissions will begin to decrease.
But another harm, more immediate and more deadly, has appeared on the scene. Air pollution levels in China have reached catastrophic proportions. According to research newly published by Berkeley Earth, air pollution kills more than 4,000 people every day in China. That’s 1.6 million people per year, a full 17 percent of deaths from all causes. This is a terrible tragedy. As much as 38 percent of China’s population live in a situation where the air quality is considered “unhealthy” by U.S. standards, based on ground-level measurements. The study maps this pollution in unprecedented detail.
The biggest culprit is particulate matter, known as PM 2.5, which refers to the size of the particles in microns. According to the U.S. EPA, PM 2.5 consists of multiple species including ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, carbon and crustal materials, which are primarily soil and ash. PM 2.5 is the smallest particle size the EPA tracks, and it is the most dangerous because of its ability to penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Associated medical issues include: “decreased lung function, increased respiratory symptoms, cardiac arrythmias (heartbeat irregularities), heart attacks, hospital admissions or emergency room visits for heart or lung disease, and premature death.”
Image credit Berkeley Earth.
Read more at ENN Affiliate TriplePundit.
