China and Air pollution and growing population

China and Air pollution

In this era of globalization China has been in the news as one of the leading economies. However, this comes with a lot of other critical issues in the social, political and economic structure in the country and world at large. Its growing quest to grow and increase its infrastructural venture has been the subject of debate. The mixed plan to boost economic productivity and political influence across the world in China calls for an in-depth discussion to establish points of interest. The general geopolitics of China requires that a section of the entire country is considered for the case study. The central subject of discussion in this case is the gas prices, related pollution and purchase of cars by the citizen. It this case East China will be taken as the region of analysis and Shanghai metropolis is particularly on focus. It is important to note that the issue of global climate takes center stage in any economic and political meetings. Pollution is seen as one of the major contributors to the growing climate problem. The exponential growth of car users in Shanghai is a matter of concern and Eastern China at large. In line with the changing economic and political policies of the country, there has been an evident relationship between the number of cars and pollution (Harris 229). This is where the idea of gas prices comes into play with a link to carbon emission control. The authorities in Shanghai experience challenge on how to reconcile the growing population, number of cars and the national pollution control policies. In the light of air pollution control strategies, it is important to note that gas prices have a correlation with the level of fuel consumption and overall car use. It is important to establish the population of Shanghai and undertake demographic analysis, topography and its aggregate socio-economic and political nature. The issues within Shanghai as the East China commercial hub are likely to give a relatively closer picture of China in entirety.

This City has a large area and is divided into eleven administrative units. There has been an upward trend ion population, and the latest data indicates 23,710,000 people. This in turn presents an increasing pattern in purchase of cars. It is important to consider the characteristics of the petroleum industry in Shanghai to determine the trend in gas fuel prices. A comparative fuel prices survey between Shanghai and California reveals an interesting hint on economic policy of China. The range of prices which runs through $4,56/gallon, $4.92/gallon and $5.19/gallon and this is relatively expensive as compared to Californian 3.17 range. The overall living standard in China still seems higher, and this is reflected in the gas prices. It is important to note that the petroleum industry is critical in controlling the overall political issues at play. Major intergovernmental summits on climate change revolve around pollution which is equally linked to carbon emission. Research has established that the major contributor to the greenhouse effect is petroleum fuel exhausts, and this has initiated the creation of the restriction towards such scenarios in the future. This is achieved through strategic policy on influencing gas prices that would raise the cost of using cars especially among the individuals. Media report indicates that China’s car sales hit 20 million by January 2014. This reflects a proportionate increase in car ownership in Shanghai at a high of 2.1 million. This means that further stringent rules need to be put in place to effect the restriction on the purchase of cars. In an attempt to curb, the growing threat of air pollution which is primarily associated with petroleum gas fuel, major cities in China like Beijing, Shanghai among others are making frantic efforts to reduce the number of cars.

An important aspect of this research requires in-depth analysis of the factors surrounding air pollution and the role of petroleum products in the much talked about climate change. Shanghai has been the center stage of the growing economic activities in China. The capital creation pressure explains the improvement in national income level, and this is translated into the booming economy of East China. It is relatively difficult to resolve the issue of pollution when at the same time championing for industrialization. This is the challenge China is facing as the international community piles pressure on it to cut down its carbon emission. The most effective method the state has come up with is to adjust gas prices. Although China has large oil reserves, its development program has meant large consumption of organic energy in petroleum oil. The major fraction of the crude petroleum oil widely used in the economy is natural gas fuel. Most of the modern cars consume the more volatile gas and emit hydrocarbon which contribute to the greenhouse effect. It is, therefore, logical that reducing the inherent pollution in this case requires chain of activities that closely impact activities of carbon emission. Shanghai effected its gasses prices in response to the petroleum firms. The overall effect of this has an important connection with various aspects of business. Apart from the profit motive, increased gas prices by the Shanghai government is focused on other social and economic objectives. The pricing strategy puts car usage fairly expensive, and this plays a significant role in reducing purchase of cars. Reduced number of cars has been pointed out to be helping minimize traffic jam. The cost of traffic snarl up in Shanghai is seen as a bottleneck towards efficient economic activities and attainment of millennium development goals. This has particularly been worsened by the large number of private cars. It is also noted that the lengthy period in traffic slowdown concentrate air pollution in the city which is already on the global spotlight.

The procedure of adjusting gas prices is more bureaucratic, and this ensures that it takes effect across the entire country. Taking the gas prices across other developed nation like USA and Europe, it can be noted that China’s case is different as it remains high. This is an indication that China still has difficulty in identifying alternative air pollution measures. Another approach Shanghai has taken to regulate gas consumption and reduce the air pollution indirectly is weekend based increase in prices. Most private car owners take to the streets in large numbers over the weekends, and this can be tamed through imposing extra charges on the gas fuel prices. In this way, most people are compelled to use public means of transport which ferry many people and significantly reduce the problem. China’s National Development and Reform Commission have been in charge of the price regulations and are slowly proving to be an effective lobbyist for air pollution control (Gauß 6). By July 2013, the gasoline prices were effected 3%, and the trend in irregular adjustments was set at an interval of twenty two days. Further price reviews are expected in regard to diverse economic goals and social agenda that are to be met. Latest data explain the reason behind possible continued rise in gas prices and subsequent additional burden on car users in Shanghai.

As a backup measure to the gas prices, China has in place an alternative air pollution control method. Economic and political debates towards a solution to the air pollution have attracted mixed reaction from different scholars, political leaders and policy makers. China is in the record for using car purchase restriction policy to curb the increasing acquisition of private and public cars. Shanghai is one of the busiest and epicenter of manufacturing and service industries. This means that it is a victim of massive air pollution and from carbon emission which makes the policy a welcome. People going about their businesses; work and leisure mostly use cars, and this continues to add pollution to the air hence unfavorable environment. The policy of restricting the number of cars purchased is well structured and organized in such a way that it observes possible retrogressive socio-economic moves. It adoption has several benefits to China and its major cities in particular. Considering the bulging population of Shanghai for instance, it is worth to underscore the significance of this policy in promoting the welfare of the residents. It is worth noting that pollution is a negative externality and only sound economic policies can mitigate its effects. Understanding of this fact has been the basis of Chinese government action if it is to remain relevant in the global campaign against climate change (Personal Cars and China 243). A common question many people would ask is how possible this restriction policy can work. The answer requires in-depth knowledge on the complex working of economic models and how this run through the economy to influence behavior of the consumers. Shanghai offers a representative picture of the real case in Chinese major cities hence preferable destination of this research. It has been at the forefront of implementing the car purchase restriction policy to realize its goal of fighting air pollution and traffic jam. The concepts in application towards this policy in Shanghai are lottery and auction. On the basis of a specified time period, a given number of licensed number plates are auctioned and issued to the highest bidder or won through lottery. This is a competitive strategy that limits the number of cars acquisition by people while at the same time helping the government push for its economic expansion. The automobile firms are equally involved in this policy in the spirit of participatory decision making by the Chinese government. Although Shanghai still remains behind, in terms of people to car ratio, the citizens growing concern on the cleanliness of their air is overwhelming. There has been an increasing lobby by citizenry on transparency by the government on how environmental care is carried out (Casper 12).

It is tricky for the Shanghai administrators and China in general to work with restricting the number of cars to be purchased while the same forms a significant part of their economic growth blueprint. Other opinion leaders on socio-economic policy feels that the policy on restricting addition purchase of cars may not effectively control pollution. The general reason is that this policy only focuses on reducing addition while there already exists a massive number of cars that continue to worsen the situation. Moreover, the emission from vehicles is evidently compounded by improper transport policy, lack of energy saving automotive technology and missing low emission standards (Liu 278). In this respect, the policy may help the government achieves its goals hence need to venture to additional alternatives.

The efforts of the Shanghai authorities to reduce pollution are taking diverse channels. It takes the contribution of the petroleum companies to reduce the mess of air pollution resulting from the gas emissions. A cross study of the quality of diesel between China and United States of America shows a great differential of about 23% more sulphur in China against USA. This means that the frequent pollutant smog hanging on Shanghai atmosphere is partially a culmination of poor refinery by the petroleum firms. It is, therefore, imperative that government put in place stiffer penalties against failure to minimize the toxicant gases in the final gas fuel (Wu 163).

The bid to curb environmental degradation alongside massive investment progress in Shanghai calls for creativity in economics and political policies. There is a need to work towards realizing the best of technology in clean and cheap energy automobiles. If this is pursued with a collaborative approach between government and private sector, the issue of pollution will significantly be reduced. This includes keeping the gas price effective to tame excessive purchase of cars and cut down on pollution.

 

Works cited

 

Casper, Julie K. Climate Management: Solving the Problem. New York: Facts on File, 2010. Print.

Energy Futures and Urban Air Pollution: Challenges for China and the United States. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press, 2008. Print.

Gauß, Philipp. International Trade China: Coal, Oil and Gas. München: GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2009. Internet resource.

Harris, Paul G. China’s Responsibility for Climate Change: Ethics, Fairness and Environmental Policy. Bristol, UK: Policy Press, 2011. Print.

Liu, Zhenya. Electric Power and Energy in China. , 2013. Internet resource.

 Personal Cars and China: Si Ren Jiao Che Yu Zhongguo. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press, 2003. Internet resource.

Wu, Kang. Energy Economy in China: Policy Imperatives, Market Dynamics, and Regional Developments. New Jersey: World Scientific, 2013. Print.

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