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Experts disagree on how green China's Olympics will be

04 10 07 - 03:56

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Experts disagree on how green China's Olympics will be

By Morgan Ashenfelter


Washington - The news that officials are considering postponing some events at next summer's Olympics in Beijing because of poor air quality has environmental experts debating how much progress the country has made in dealing with its environmental woes.

At an Aug. 8 ceremony in Beijing, marking a year until the summer Olympics, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said that marathon races and other endurance sports might be postponed.

U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel said it's too early to know if changes in the schedule will be made but it's a serious concern.

"We know that the international organizing committee understands the seriousness of this issue," Seibel said. "Athletes cannot be asked to risk or jeopardize their health."

Dian Hua Li, press secretary for the Chinese Embassy here, said he hadn't heard anything about plans to postpone endurance events.

But he said the environment "is a big concern for the Chinese government and in the interest of China and its people."

In 1998, the year Beijing was named as the 2008 Summer Olympic host, the city's total suspended particulates in the air exceeded World Health Organization standards by 273 percent. Though the number has dropped 10 percent since then, it is still higher than WHO standards, said Jennifer Turner, director of the China Environment Forum, a program committed to encouraging dialogue between the U.S. and China.

"Many of their goals are unrealistic," Turner said.

All three members of a panel discussion Wednesday sponsored by the China Environment Forum agreed that, even if China does not meet its goals, its environmental record has still greatly improved and will result in a lasting, positive impact.

The panel included Turner, Jeffrey Fulgham, chief marketing officer of General Electric Water and Process Technologies, and Peter Knights, executive director of WildAid, a non-profit organization that works to eliminate the illegal wildlife trade.

But Elizabeth Economy, director for Asia Studies on the Council on Foreign Relations, who was not on the panel, disagrees with their optimism. Economy described China's accomplishments so far as a disappointment. The problem lies in the way China is addressing change through top-down campaigns, ambitious regulations and lack of incentives for local government leaders, Economy said.

"We've waited for almost seven years for China to transform its environment as a result of its winning Olympic bid," Economy said. "But no matter what new policies are designed to encourage local officials, Chinese leadership is still calling on them to quadruple their economic growth."

The panelists gave examples of the positive changes.

Since 1998, China has spent $2 billion to improve air and water quality. More efficient models have replaced 33,000 taxis and buses. The government has ordered 300 Evolution Locomotives, which are 28 percent more efficient than regular locomotives.

Knights described the games as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to focus attention on WildAid's cause.

WildAid has featured China's Olympic hopefuls in public service announcements in China to raise awareness that the country is the world's biggest consumer of illegal wildlife.

"The association with the games makes it attractive to the media, who are doing all the heavy lifting for us," Knight said.

Turner agreed: "Within the past few years, Chinese press reports on the environment have gone up."

Despite "a much harsher spotlight on what China has or has not accomplished," Economy cautioned that "the main question is, are they willing to do what is truly necessary? In reality, I think they fall quite short."

Economy said that the Chinese leadership is more committed to the environment than previous Chinese leaders.

"There is a strong sense from Chinese leadership that the environment is a serious issue," Economy said. "It's harming health; it's the cause of serious social unrest and embarrassment within the international community."





Source: Scripps Howard Foundation Wire

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Used tags: alternative_energy, china_olympics, environment, olympics_in_china, pollution_at_the_olympics

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