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China pollution

China pollution
Latest news and analysis about the degradation of the air quality, water, marine environment and soil in China.
Illustration by Lau Ka-kuen
Mainland China

When mines run dry: why some Chinese cities are racing to reinvent themselves

Once China’s answer to Pittsburgh, steel hub Panzhihua faces same challenge as other old industrial cities: how to avoid ‘rust belt’ decline.

China energy security

China surpasses 10,000km of subsea pipelines, boosting offshore energy network

Artificial intelligence

Hong Kong AI start-up develops emission monitoring system, targets mainland

Environment

New study revisits link between air pollution in East Asia and global warming

Scientist Bjorn Samset says discovery that clean-up may contribute to warming shows intricate nature of climate change and dynamics at play.

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In China, pollution levels peaked in 2013 before the nation intensified its “war on pollution” efforts. But the clean-up removed particles that may have protected against surface warming, according to a new study. Photo: AFP
Environment

Opinion | Is Asia’s cleaner air driving global warming?

Air pollution has held human-induced warming in check for the past century by acting as an artificial sunshade, a new study shows.

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China society

Opinion | Lead poisoning scandal in China shows tendency to cover up is still strong

Suppression of information in such cases is part of a familiar pattern of local government response.

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China’s Communist Party

Chinese lead poisoning scandal sparks backlash, echoing earlier controversies

Observers say alleged attempt to cover up high lead levels in kindergarteners follows pattern seen in other safety incidents in China.

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Eight people have been detained over a lead poisoning scandal at a kindergarten in the city of Tianshui, in Gansu province of northwest China. Photo: Handout
China energy security

Solar energy milestone: China taps the ocean in breakthrough for industry

The Qingdao-based project is projected to boost offshore power and help cut emissions by 14,000 tonnes annually.

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Environment

Opinion | How Asia’s failure to cooperate is killing its rivers and oceans

The recent UN Ocean Conference was a missed opportunity for a region that has the means to save its marine environment, but not the political will.

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Environment

From Avatar to mountain of rubbish: China pulls decade of trash from caves

Officials say villagers dumped rubbish when the local government banned incineration but did not yet have a collection service.

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The discovery of mountains of rubbish in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China’s central Hunan province has prompted officials to investigate officials and launch protocols to clean the refuse out of ancient caves. Photo: Xinhua
China society

Opinion | How China’s modernisation offers a new path to prosperity

Focused on equity and shared development outcomes, China’s path to modernity has both distinct characteristics and global relevance.

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Tourists look at a Terracotta Army warrior in Xian, Shaanxi province, in 2023. In recent years, China has improved its system of museums and libraries while supporting a flourishing cultural industry. Photo: Xinhua
Climate change

Opinion | China must resist greenwashing its dirty coal habit with green bonds

Can China credibly claim climate leadership while doubling down on its dirtiest fuel?

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Hong Kong environmental issues

Editorial | Raise awareness of air pollution hazards in Hong Kong

We can’t control the weather, but proper warnings must be issued in a timely manner so that Hongkongers can take appropriate precautions.

China food security

Beijing bids adieu to ‘basic’ farmland with plan to supercharge soil

When it’s basic farmland vs ‘well-facilitated’ farmland, the latter considerably outperforms in cost and yield.

An aerial drone shot this month shows a farmer plowing a field in China’s Zhejiang province. China is making agriculture advancements more attainable with a new plan. Photo: Xinhua
Business of climate change

Hang Lung pushes for faster decarbonisation in construction sector

Developer urges quicker regulatory progress and pilot programmes to expedite low-carbon material adoption, vital for decarbonising the sector.

The construction industry is responsible for nearly 40 per cent of global energy-related carbon emissions. Photo: Jelly Tse
China energy security

China’s nuclear power ambitions at core of energy security amid safety concerns

Now the world’s biggest market for nuclear power, China has more than 100 reactors in use or being built along the nation’s coastline.

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Art

Art made from plastic waste on Chinese beaches makes a statement

Fu Junsheng collects plastic that washes up on China’s Miaodao islands and turns it into art that highlights the problem of marine pollution.

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SCMP Highlights

Recap | Smog shuts New Delhi schools, Shanghai tops pollution list: 6 environment stories

From India’s toxic smog crisis to McDonald’s tackling cow methane, explore the global fight against pollution in our latest stories on the environment.

People drive amid heavy smog near New Delhi, India, this month. Pollution levels in the Indian capital have soared way above WHO recommended limits. Photo: EPA
Shanghai

Shanghai is world’s most polluting city, says new data revealed at Cop29

While the Chinese city was found to be worse than all of Colombia or Norway, a site in Texas ‘is the worst polluting site in the entire world’.

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China energy security

China takes aim at energy replacement with industry-spanning plan for renewables

More energy must come from renewable sources, but transition from fossil fuels will be orderly, top economic planner says.

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Science

All-bamboo plastic a step closer to reality with new processing recipe: study

Chinese researchers say technique to ‘remodel’ the tall grass into a plastic substitute could soon produce eco-friendly utensils, hats, phone cases and more.

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China seeks ways to capitalise on the rapid growth and biodegradability of bamboo and its potential as a substitute for petroleum-based products. Photo: Shutterstock Images
Climate change

Opinion | China’s refusal to say no to coal could nix renewable energy gains

China must resist justifying more coal power as the state grid struggles to deal with the surge in renewable energy.

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Illustration: Stephen Case
China society

Opinion | What China watchers should know about where the country is headed

The reforms outlined in the third plenum sets the groundwork for deepening efforts such as poverty alleviation to sustainable development.

China energy security

Beijing urged to quell ‘fluctuations and volatility’ stifling renewable energy

Power capacity and infrastructure are vital to China’s green transition and hi-tech ambitions, but ‘power abandonment’ is a critical setback.

Singapore

Singapore study links air pollution to 135 million premature deaths

The study is one of the most expansive to date, using 40 years of data to give a big-picture view of the effects of air quality on health.

Women cover their faces with masks as haze shrouds Singapore’s central business district in 2016. Photo: Reuters
China energy security

China targets wasted production, taking aim at pollution and overcapacity

Four industrial sectors have been singled out – steel, petrochemicals, non-ferrous metals, and building materials – with new capacity strictly prohibited or restricted in certain subsectors.

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Beijing’s new plan puts added emphasis on curbing pollution, reducing coal consumption and improving the consumption capacity of renewable energy. Photo: AP
China energy security

China’s new oil rig in South China Sea helps it drill deep for energy security

New deep-sea mobile operation can reportedly drill to a depth of 9,085 metres, a record for China as Beijing looks to rely less on imported oil and gas amid rising geopolitical uncertainties.

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Mental health

Editorial | Link between clear air and fewer suicides is another reason to act

A study lends support to the argument that there is more to environmental protection than just physical health and economic benefits.

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