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THIRD OF CHINA 'HIT BY ACID RAIN'

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THIRD OF CHINA 'HIT BY ACID RAIN'


[+] serious ballot by herzog
created Sun Aug 27, 06

One third of China is suffering from acid rain caused by rapid industrial growth, an official report quoted by the state media says.

Pollution levels have risen and air quality has deteriorated, the report found. This comes despite a pledge by the authorities to clean up the air.

In the latest incident, a reservoir serving 100,000 people in north-west China was polluted by a chemical spill.

China has some of the world's most polluted cities and rivers.

The pollution inspection report to the standing committee of parliament found that 25.5 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide were spewed out, mainly from the country's coal-burning factories last year - up 27% from 2000.

Emissions of sulphur dioxide - the chemical that causes acid rain - were double the safe level, the report said. In some areas, rainfall was 100% acid rain, it added.

"Increased sulphur dioxide emissions meant that one-third of China's territory was affected by acid rain, posing a major threat to soil and food safety," Sheng Huaren of the standing committee, was quoted by state media as saying.

Caustic soda

Local governments were accused of overlooking environmental regulations in the rush for economic development.

"It is especially worrying that most local governments base economic growth on energy consuming industries, disregarding the environment's capacity to sustain industrial expansion," Mr Sheng said.

His report echoes the findings from the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) released earlier this month.

In July, China announced it planned to spend 1.4 trillion yuan ($175bn) over the next five years on protecting its environment.

The sum - equivalent to 1.5% of China's annual economic output - will be used to improve water quality, and cut air and land pollution and soil erosion.

Meanwhile, water supplies to the city of Hancheng in Shaanxi province were due to resume on Sunday, following an emergency when a nearby reservoir was polluted with 25 tonnes of caustic soda.

Officials brought in 10 tonnes of hydrochloric acid to neutralise the caustic soda, which was being carried by a tanker that fell into the Xuefeng reservoir on Friday, killing one person.

-BBC
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In light of this can you think of a logical reason why china was excluded from the Kyoto Protocol? If you believe that treaty will work then what reason is there to give exemptions to nations such as china, which is polluting more and more every year and will soon be the worlds leading polluter if things continue?

There is no logical reason for kyoto to exempt china
There is! I'll explain it below
Wal-Mart, ƒu¢k yeah!


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COMMENTS:
It is absurd to imagine that China's industrial plants are creating local acid rain. Pollution creates global environmental problems. It's like peeing in a swimming pool and imagining only the corner where the pee occurred will suffer consequences.
The automobile is the greatest source of pollution on our planet, and Americans drive the most cars. Don't you think it ironic that the very people who protest pollution so much drive these deadly polluters to their rallies? I do.
by margaret123 on Sun Aug 27, 06 10:00am [+]

So it's americas fault that china has acid rain? That's a new one.

No marge, acid rain is caused by regional pollution. Sulfur is released by burning various substances (especially coal which the chinese love) and that binds with water to make sulfuric acid.

Another neighboring industrial power could do it to them, but not from across the ocean. And china is pretty much the only industrial power close enough and large enough to be responsible. Sorry, but this one isn't americas fault.
by herzog on Sun Aug 27, 06 10:12am [+]

Margaret, the US had it signed and implemented it (like we would have if Bush hadn't stole the election in 2000), was subject to various requirements under the protocol. China wasn't.
by FiddleFaddleOnLSD on Sun Aug 27, 06 10:27am [+]

Guys, I wasn't trying to refute anything. I was just pointing out that no country or region can pollute without polluting the whole planet. And, Mr. Herzog, I still find it hard to swallow that with the movement of weather around the globe, that one region can cause acid rain for itself and no one else.

I also stick by my guns in pointing out that the major polluter on the earth is the internal combustion engine, of which America has the most.
by Guest User from [66.53.12.81] on Sun Aug 27, 06 12:07pm [+]

My point was that it is impossible to pollute in one area of the world and not pollute the entire globe. I also wanted to say that the internal combustion engine produces the vast amount of pollution on the earth and America is the world's largest number of automobiles.

Mr. Herzog: I did not say, and did not mean to imply, that it is America's fault that China has acid rain. My point (apparently missed) was that the internal combustion engine is the worst polluter on the planet, and America has the most of these engines installed in automobiles. Pointing fingers and playing politics with pollution is incredible short sited and wrong. America is a polluter with just about the entire rest of the world.
by margaret123 on Sun Aug 27, 06 12:16pm [+]

Voted : There is no logical reason for kyoto to exempt china
They're part of the planet, like the rest of us. They have an equally vested interest.
by Truthseeker013 on Sun Aug 27, 06 12:32pm [+]

In keeping the world a livable place, I meant to add.
by Truthseeker013 on Sun Aug 27, 06 12:33pm [+]

'My point was that it is impossible to pollute in one area of the world and not pollute the entire globe.'


So then what's the logic in a treaty supposedly out to combat pollution and it's effects on the world excluding china? Either they believe chinas pollution stops at the borders or there are some ulterior motives here that maybe they aren't so open about.

' I also wanted to say that the internal combustion engine produces the vast amount of pollution on the earth and America is the world's largest number of automobiles.'

And china is currently buying more than anyone else, one day they will have more than any other nation. BUt they will still be excluded from kyoto, even though their cars will hardly be magically eco-friendly, non-polluting vehicles running on pollen and sunshine.

And cars are not the leading cause of pollution, industry is. And chinas industry is growing like there's no tommorrow. Besides which, I wasn't implying that america doesn't pollute. I was saying that it's odd for china not to be included in this treaty despite their high level of pollution, america is most definitely written in to the kyoto treaty.

It would be odd too if america were exluded from the wording and everyone else were included, but obviously that's not the case.

So if you have two polluting nations, one is given an exemption and one isn't, doesn't that seem a little odd to you given that pollution anywhere affects the entire world?
by herzog on Sun Aug 27, 06 2:56pm [+]

Good ballot topic. Margaret I got your original point and it makes perfect sense.
by Beauregard on Sun Aug 27, 06 3:07pm [+]

What Margaret said.

MAG_afro
by cranky on Mon Aug 28, 06 3:15am [+]

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