Vexing as it may be for operations heavily dependent on their China-based suppliers, many companies are acknowledging the need to bite the bullet and accept that these measures are becoming China’s new normal. Over the past five years, the Chinese government issued - the “Air Ten”, “Water Ten” and “Soil Ten” policy measures one after another, making it clear that it was serious about fighting pollution on all fronts. In fact, t he country – along with India - is behind the significant increase in green foliage that our planet is seeing from space.Ĭhina’s stringent environmental measures have already had significant impact on both local and foreign industries operating in China. China accounted for half of EV sales worldwide nearly all of the world’s electric buses are currently operating in China. Keeping in mind the scale of China, its major cities and hubs have become successful testbeds for green solutions on every possible front – from sustainable cit y planning to forestry management, electric vehicle s (EV) to “ blue sky battles ”. Today, p eople based in China will tell you something d ifferent. Mainstream media seem to jump at every opportunity to plaster what have become stock images of Chin a’s dirty past to re present its impending future. China’s war against pollution is showing effectsįor years, China ’s cities connote images of c hoking smog, impossible traffic and polluted waterways. Poverty eradication continues to be the Chinese government’s key focus in its 2020 Plan, and while the scale of the programme’s success speaks for itself, many social issues such as skills development, community governance and protection of “ left-behind ” children remain high priority. Since the country started its reforms four decades ago, the government has successfully lifted 800 million people out of poverty, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the world’s poverty reduction. What China has done for the poor, no other nation in human history has made possibleĬhina is reducing poverty at a rate unparalleled in human history. While the country is not short of critics – be it ethics and corruption, human rights, environmental management, or labour standards – t here are many reasons why China’s role in sustainable development should be taken seriously. “Ĭhina has done more in a decade than any country in the world to transition from fossil fuels.
This country may be one of superlatives, but the most significant one to me is no longer that of the w orld’s biggest pollute r, but the real game-changer in clean, green solutions.
Having witnessed its major cities transform from chao tic to cosmopolitan over two decades, it is clear that China has committed to cleaning up its act. M a jor scandals rooted in corruption and gross negligence were aplenty, and air pollution levels across the manufacturing zones where major cities were located was averaging hazardous levels for weeks on end.Ĭoming back to China to live for a third time, it is an interesting period to be here again. What were deemed as quality control problems and shoddy health and safety practices ballooned into crises of epic proportions.
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When I began my professional career in China 15 years ago, evidence of business activity impact ing the environment and society was already gaining prominence. As the world get s caught up in the looming US-China trade war set to shake up the capital markets, a shadow has been cast over what is arguably the bigger, more important story of our times- China’s role in the sustainable development of our planet.