posted on July 16, 2003 08:53:41 AM new
I have mentioned on this board before the impossibility of China's population becoming western style consumers- well now the UN has recognized the same problem:
China Growth Aims Environmentally Impossible
July 16
— SYDNEY (Reuters) - China's ambitious economic growth plans are environmentally unachievable because the world does not have enough resources to allow its 1.3 billion people to become Western-style consumers, a U.N. official said on Wednesday.
Klaus Toepfer, head of the U.N. Environment Program, said China's aim of quadrupling its economy by 2020 can only occur if developed nations radically change their consumption habits to free up scarce resources for the world's poor.
"Quadrupling the GDP of a country of 1.3 billion, can you imagine what are the consequences if you go in the same structure as was done in the so-called developed countries?" Toepfer told reporters during a visit to Sydney.
He said that if China had the same density of private cars as, for example Germany, it would have to produce 650 million vehicles -- a target that environmentalists say the world's supply of metal and oil would be unable to sustain.
"It's not a question whether you are devoted to nature or whether this is an emotional topic. This is the rationality of economics," Toepfer said.
China's gross domestic product, or GDP, grew eight percent last year and the government expects it to expand another seven percent in 2003.
Toepfer was in Australia to attend a conference of young environmentalists from Asia, discussing ways of changing consumer habits so that precious resources such as water are conserved.
He said the world's approach to resource use was going through a significant phase with slow economic growth persuading governments in Europe and North America to aggressively try to stimulate consumption.
While senior Chinese officials appeared to be fully aware of the constraints the environment placed on their economic plans, Toepfer said more work needed to be done in developed nations to make environmentally friendly products "trendy" and mainstream.
posted on July 17, 2003 04:53:37 AM new
I don't think China has enough roads or space for all the people to own cars and drive them. Talk about a traffic jam nightmare. It would make NY City during rush hour look tame in comparison. While I think their plans are admirable, I don't see them being attainable. 1.3 billion people is a lot of people!!
posted on July 17, 2003 07:55:35 AM new
If you build a car that can be repaired indefinately and isn't junk in five years so they can sell you a new one it could be done. But not a 4,000 pound steel monster that costs more to repair than it's worth in 8 to 10 years.
A 1,200 pound vehicle with fuel cells and 100% modular construction made with owner maintenance and repair in mind - sure.
posted on July 17, 2003 08:14:09 AM new
I don't know gravid. A visitor I spoke to from China informed me that there is a crush for room just for bikes in the cities in China.
There simply isn't enough room or infrastructure to support their aims.
Just getting electricity to all 1.3 billion people will have severe environmental impacts.
posted on July 17, 2003 08:31:48 AM new
So the UN was wrong all those other times when it warned about the mis-allocation of world resources and the overpopulation threats of third-world countries?
------------------- We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are.
------------The Talmud
