https://www.scmp.com/rss/293017/feed Latest news and analysis about the degradation of the air quality, water, marine environment and soil in China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Yating Yang Yating Yang Following a dispute with his neighbour, a Chinese man resorted to blasting ghost stories for more than 10 hours a day as revenge, deliberately keeping the volume just below the legal limit, drawing widespread ridicule online. The case was revealed by the Ministry of Justice of the People’s Republic of China. The man, surnamed Lu, and his cohabiter, surnamed Li, both from Guangzhou in Guangdong province, southern China, became embroiled in a dispute with their neighbour, surnamed Xie. The exact... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348496/chinese-man-blasts-ghost-stories-over-speakers-10-hours-daily-retaliate-against-neighbour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348496/chinese-man-blasts-ghost-stories-over-speakers-10-hours-daily-retaliate-against-neighbour?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik An estimated 93 million pieces of debris could be floating on the surface of the South China Sea, based on data collected by China in a projection of its marine monitoring and remote sensing prowess. Using technologies such as fixed-ship monitoring, underway surveys and satellite remote sensing, marine scientists and ecologists audited 26 spots in the central and southern parts of the disputed waters. In a report released this month, Beijing’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment said it... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347973/how-much-junk-south-china-sea-beijing-flexes-surveillance-muscle-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347973/how-much-junk-south-china-sea-beijing-flexes-surveillance-muscle-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:30:09 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial In 2022, the world’s largest electric cruise ship embarked on its maiden voyage in Yichang, Hubei province. The Yangtze River Three Gorges 1, which can carry up to 1,300 passengers, runs on battery power and can reportedly save 530 tonnes of fuel and 1,660 tonnes of harmful emissions per year. The vessel displayed the commercial and technical feasibility of electric ships. China is the world’s largest shipbuilder and the pre-eminent manufacturer of electric vehicles and advanced batteries. Now,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345393/china-steps-its-clean-energy-push-electric-ships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345393/china-steps-its-clean-energy-push-electric-ships?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing has issued a central directive to dismantle the administrative walls dividing China’s electricity sector, signalling a decisive shift towards a unified national power market designed to support the country’s energy security and green transition. A decade into its power-sector overhaul, China is doubling down on market unity during the just-started 15th five-year planning period. These structural shifts are widely seen as indispensable to the nation’s 2030 carbon-peak target, as the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343329/china-dismantle-local-power-protectionism-push-electrify-national-grid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343329/china-dismantle-local-power-protectionism-push-electrify-national-grid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China has achieved a breakthrough in its decarbonisation efforts by successfully repurposing a long-haul oil pipeline to transport carbon dioxide, in a trial run that offers a potentially scalable solution to accelerate the nation’s ambitious climate goals. The 27km (16.8-mile) route delivered carbon dioxide to an oilfield in central China’s Henan province earlier this month, according to China Oil and Gas Pipeline Network Corporation, also known as PipeChina. In an online statement, the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343072/china-turns-old-oil-pipeline-new-carbon-highway-green-cost-cutting-gambit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343072/china-turns-old-oil-pipeline-new-carbon-highway-green-cost-cutting-gambit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang A profound energy transformation is reshaping Shanxi, China’s traditional coal heartland, where renewable power capacity has officially surpassed coal-fired generation, marking a historic turning point for one of the nation’s most carbon-intensive economies. The central province’s installed capacity for new energy surged to 90.48 million kilowatts in 2025 – a year-on-year increase of 18.29 million kW – vaulting renewables past the halfway point to claim 55.1 per cent of Shanxi’s total... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342241/shanxis-green-leap-renewables-surpass-coal-chinas-energy-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342241/shanxis-green-leap-renewables-surpass-coal-chinas-energy-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:03:11 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang In the daytime the temperature in northern China often stays below freezing, but for many rural villagers the prohibitive cost of heating means that they have little choice but to endure the cold. “We dare not turn on the heating during the day,” one woman from Guan county in Hebei named Wang said. The 75-year-old’s home is around 70km (43 miles) from the centre of Beijing, but running the heating all day would cost between 60 and 90 yuan (US$8-13), an expense that could soar over the course of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339631/north-china-farmers-pay-heavy-price-winter-beijings-clean-air-success?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339631/north-china-farmers-pay-heavy-price-winter-beijings-clean-air-success?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 01:00:16 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Few areas of China reflect the country’s decades-long economic transformation more vividly than its cities. Rapid development has made villages into dense urban landscapes and already sizeable metro areas into some of the world’s largest population centres. As the rate of urbanisation slows and the country transitions into a new economic era, we explore how select Chinese cities are navigating the change. Read the rest of our series here. Once a remote industrial powerhouse forged deep in the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330490/chinas-old-industrial-cities-race-reinvent-themselves-rapidly-changing-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330490/chinas-old-industrial-cities-race-reinvent-themselves-rapidly-changing-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 22:00:13 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China has reached a major milestone in offshore energy infrastructure, with the total subsea pipeline network now exceeding 10,000km (6,213 miles), as the country accelerates efforts to explore offshore resources to meet its energy-security needs. The milestone was achieved as the final section of a deep-sea pipeline was installed on Sunday in northern China’s Bohai Bay, according to state broadcaster CCTV. As one of China’s largest offshore oil-production bases, Bohai Bay now hosts the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327436/china-surpasses-10000km-subsea-pipelines-boosting-offshore-energy-network?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327436/china-surpasses-10000km-subsea-pipelines-boosting-offshore-energy-network?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 06:00:14 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov A Hong Kong-based start-up has developed an artificial intelligence-powered system that detects the origin and size of factory emissions, which could be applied for monitoring purposes in mainland China and other countries, according to its founder. ANTEI AI Innovation Hub created the AURA framework for real-time detection of industrial smoke emissions with an eye toward implementing the system across China, founder and group managing director Matey Yordanov said in an interview on... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3324786/hong-kong-ai-start-develops-emission-monitoring-system-mainland-target-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3324786/hong-kong-ai-start-develops-emission-monitoring-system-mainland-target-market?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Nora Mankel,Sam Phillips Nora Mankel,Sam Phillips Over the past decade, clean-up efforts in East Asia have reduced air pollution significantly, improving quality of life and health in the region. But they may also have inadvertently contributed to speeding up global warming, by removing particles that helped to cool the Earth. Pollutants are made up of aerosols, liquid and solid particles suspended in the air. Although their removal is good for public health, this can lead to less cloud and less ground protection from the sun, and may have... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3320546/new-climate-study-revisits-tie-between-air-pollution-east-asia-and-global-warming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3320546/new-climate-study-revisits-tie-between-air-pollution-east-asia-and-global-warming?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Laura Wilcox,Bjorn H. Samset Laura Wilcox,Bjorn H. Samset Global warming has picked up pace since around 2010, leading to the recent string of record hot years. Why this is happening is still unclear and is among the biggest questions in climate science today. Our new study reveals that reductions in air pollution – particularly in China and East Asia – are a key reason for this faster warming. Clean-up of sulphur emissions from global shipping has been implicated in past research. But that clean-up only began in 2020, so it is considered too weak to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3318806/asias-cleaner-air-driving-global-warming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3318806/asias-cleaner-air-driving-global-warming?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 02:30:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang More than 200 families in a small city in northwestern China recently found themselves with a deeply worrying task: trying to establish if their children had lead poisoning. Some had been ill for months with symptoms such as stomach ache. Parents who took their children to a local hospital were told the blood lead results were normal. Those who sought a second opinion in a neighbouring province discovered dangerous blood lead levels, as much as 40 times higher in at least one case – a clear sign... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3318321/lead-poisoning-scandal-china-shows-tendency-cover-still-strong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3318321/lead-poisoning-scandal-china-shows-tendency-cover-still-strong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang A lead poisoning scandal at a kindergarten in northwest China – and the local government’s alleged attempt to cover up wrongdoing – has sparked public backlash, with observers saying the case highlights a pattern often seen in the wake of high-profile safety incidents. Liu Qifang, the father of a girl who attended the kindergarten at the centre of the scandal, received a phone call from an unknown caller last week, according to South Reviews magazine on Tuesday. The caller confirmed Liu’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3317959/chinese-lead-poisoning-scandal-sparks-backlash-echoing-earlier-controversies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3317959/chinese-lead-poisoning-scandal-sparks-backlash-echoing-earlier-controversies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 08:00:16 +0000 June Xia June Xia China has launched a fully seawater-based solar energy system – the first of its kind suitable for industrial use and large-scale power production – as part of broader efforts to expand renewables in coastal regions, boost the maritime economy and drive industrial innovation. Located in Qingdao, Shandong province, the floating solar station builds upon another offshore photovoltaic power generation project launched in late May. Together, they form the largest initiative of its kind by Sinopec,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316987/solar-energy-milestone-china-taps-ocean-breakthrough-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3316987/solar-energy-milestone-china-taps-ocean-breakthrough-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Syed Munir Khasru Syed Munir Khasru Asia’s relationship with the ocean represents one of the most complex environmental contradictions of our time. The region is home to some of the world’s largest maritime economies, with China, Japan, South Korea and India among those leading the global shipping, fishing and marine trade. It contains about 60 per cent of the world’s coastal population, and those people depend on the region’s coastal zones for their livelihoods, food security and economic survival. Yet, at the same time, the same... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3314617/how-asias-failure-cooperate-killing-its-rivers-and-oceans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3314617/how-asias-failure-cooperate-killing-its-rivers-and-oceans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 01:30:22 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Chinese authorities have cleaned up more than 50 tonnes of rubbish from ancient caves in Zhangjiajie, a stunning site that inspired a location in Avatar, and punished four officials after the cavities became a stinking dumping ground. The clean-up came around two weeks after a viral video showed the state of a natural cave in Zhangjiajie’s Cili county in Hunan province that had been used for years by nearby villagers to dump rubbish, resulting in garbage piling up “as high as seven or eight... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3313706/avatar-mountain-rubbish-china-pulls-decade-trash-historic-caves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3313706/avatar-mountain-rubbish-china-pulls-decade-trash-historic-caves?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jun 2025 09:33:22 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun As the world undergoes profound changes, humanity once again stands at a historic crossroads facing pivotal choices. Amid global uncertainty, China’s modernisation has created a new path for human progress and common prosperity. China’s path to modernity has a socialist character. Led by the Communist Party of China, it follows the general principles of modernisation while being firmly rooted in China’s history, culture and national conditions, giving it distinct characteristics. To understand... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3309215/6-ways-chinas-modernisation-offers-new-path-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3309215/6-ways-chinas-modernisation-offers-new-path-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 May 2025 08:35:05 +0000 China recently issued its first sovereign green bonds on the London Stock Exchange, a landmark moment that projected Beijing as a leader in sustainable finance. The move was welcomed: it promised to channel international capital into China’s vast green economy and could deepen climate cooperation with Britain and the European Union. But China also continues to approve new coal power plants and last year launched construction on 94.5 gigawatts of capacity, the most since 2015. Therein lies a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3307482/china-must-resist-greenwashing-its-dirty-coal-habit-green-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3307482/china-must-resist-greenwashing-its-dirty-coal-habit-green-bonds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Apr 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong’s air quality in 2022 was the best in a decade, thanks to anti-pandemic measures that shut down much social and economic activity. You would not know it from pollution and reduced visibility this week. A return to “normal” last year, with slight increases in key pollutants, did not prepare us for plunging air quality in the past few days. Pollution readings in more than 10 areas in Hong Kong reached the highest health-risk levels on Monday evening, as a dusty northerly airstream that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3306671/raise-awareness-air-pollution-hazards-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3306671/raise-awareness-air-pollution-hazards-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Apr 2025 23:45:07 +0000 Cultivating conditions for the widespread roll-out of advanced agricultural technologies across China, the central government has sown more seeds of food security with plans to transform all “eligible permanent basic farmland” into high-standard farmland by 2035. Arable land represents the foundation for the plan, which was jointly issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council. Ensuring that farmland is maintained to high agricultural... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3304594/beijing-bids-adieu-basic-farmland-plan-supercharge-soil-upgrade-agriculture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3304594/beijing-bids-adieu-basic-farmland-plan-supercharge-soil-upgrade-agriculture?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:30:08 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng The construction industry needs to see faster progress on regulations and pilot programmes to boost the uptake of low-carbon materials and technology to accelerate the sector’s decarbonisation in Hong Kong and mainland China, according to Hang Lung Properties. “The policy environment matters a lot, because we can only rely on the industries to move things so far so fast,” said John Haffner, deputy director of sustainability at the developer, which is active in Hong Kong and the... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3290661/hang-lung-pushes-faster-decarbonisation-hong-kong-and-chinas-construction-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3290661/hang-lung-pushes-faster-decarbonisation-hong-kong-and-chinas-construction-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Dec 2024 02:00:10 +0000 China is leading the world in nuclear power installations and projects under construction as Beijing amps up investment efforts to decarbonise its energy mix. The country – the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, accounting for more than a third of global emissions – will kick off construction of more nuclear plant projects in coastal regions in 2025, with more in the state-planning pipeline. National Energy Administration director Wang Hongzhi said at a national energy work conference... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3291041/chinas-amped-nuclear-power-ambitions-core-energy-security-amid-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3291041/chinas-amped-nuclear-power-ambitions-core-energy-security-amid-safety-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:00:13 +0000 As storm clouds gather over a forgotten beach in China’s Miaodao islands, artist Fu Junsheng picks his way through piles of plastic waste washed up along the shoreline, looking for inspiration. China is the world’s largest plastic producer, and the islands – a niche tourist destination – sit in the cross-stream of several highly developed eastern peninsulas. Every squall brings fresh waves of floating debris onto the archipelago’s white sand beaches – and, eight years ago, Fu decided to make... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3288457/chinese-artist-turns-islands-plastic-marine-waste-flip-flops-sex-dolls-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3288457/chinese-artist-turns-islands-plastic-marine-waste-flip-flops-sex-dolls-art?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Nov 2024 08:15:07 +0000 1. New Delhi shuts schools as toxic smog crisis sees pollution hit 60 times the WHO limit; 1 million affected The Indian capital is grappling with an annual crisis which sees dense, hazardous smog cause health issues, especially among children and the elderly. Authorities have been forced to implement restrictions, including online schooling and limits on diesel vehicles, as pollutant levels far exceed the World Health Organization’s threshold. 2. Shanghai tops list of world’s most polluting... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3287198/new-delhi-schools-shut-amid-smog-crisis-shanghai-tops-pollution-list-6-environment-stories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3287198/new-delhi-schools-shut-amid-smog-crisis-shanghai-tops-pollution-list-6-environment-stories?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Nov 2024 08:13:49 +0000 Cities in Asia and the United States emit the most heat-trapping gas that feeds climate change, with Shanghai the most polluting, according to new data that combines observations and artificial intelligence. Nations at UN climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan are trying to set new targets to cut such emissions and figure out how much rich nations will pay to help the world with that task. The data comes as climate officials and activists alike are growing increasingly frustrated with what they see... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3286800/worlds-most-polluting-cities-revealed-cop29-frustration-grows-fossil-fuels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3286800/worlds-most-polluting-cities-revealed-cop29-frustration-grows-fossil-fuels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:31:05 +0000 China has unveiled a 17-point renewable-energy-substitution plan that spans multiple industries, aiming to accelerate the nation’s clean-energy transition while taking a gradual approach to phasing out fossil fuels in a bid to avoid crippling power disruptions like those seen in recent years. The country’s top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), is urging industries to carry out their energy transition in a “safe”, “orderly” and “diverse” manner. And the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3284650/china-takes-aim-energy-replacement-plan-rely-renewables-reduce-coal-use?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3284650/china-takes-aim-energy-replacement-plan-rely-renewables-reduce-coal-use?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Oct 2024 10:30:07 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela A team of Chinese scientists on a quest to develop bamboo into a biodegradable alternative to plastics say they have discovered a recipe to process the material into feasible products. China – which has more bamboo forests than any other country – is in the midst of a long-term effort to reduce pollution and reach carbon neutrality and has been looking for ways to transform the tall, thick grass into a viable replacement for petroleum-based goods that can decompose quickly. Plastic pollution has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3276194/are-chinas-vast-bamboo-forests-answer-forever-fossil-plastics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3276194/are-chinas-vast-bamboo-forests-answer-forever-fossil-plastics?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Aug 2024 05:00:08 +0000 In what can only be called a major win for China, its renewable energy capacity is setting records. Wind and solar power are expected to account for more than 40 per cent of the country’s installed power generation capacity by the end of the year. Better yet, China’s wind and solar power capacity exceeded that of its much-criticised coal-fired power for the first time during the first half of the year. The China Electricity Council expects the nation to add 300 gigawatts (GW) of solar and wind... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3274481/china-must-not-let-coal-habit-stain-its-renewable-energy-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3274481/china-must-not-let-coal-habit-stain-its-renewable-energy-record?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Aug 2024 21:30:15 +0000 Western media analysts often fail to grasp the significance of the reforms initiated at the third plenum of the Communist Party of China, which recently concluded in Beijing. The Communist Party typically holds seven plenary sessions during each five-year term of its Central Committee, and the third is particularly important as major policy directions and reforms are often introduced. The 1978 third plenum marked the beginning of China’s reform and opening up, a policy introduced by Deng... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3273373/what-china-watchers-should-know-about-where-country-headed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3273373/what-china-watchers-should-know-about-where-country-headed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2024 08:45:08 +0000 The state of China’s leading position at the global forefront of renewable-energy installations, amid a troublesome drop in equipment utilisation and bottlenecks, has triggered fresh calls for more energised action out of Beijing. Nationwide solar-generation-capacity installation surged by 52.2 per cent in the first five months of the year, compared with the same period last year, and wind-power capacity also increased by 20.5 per cent, according to fresh data from the National Energy... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3268474/chinas-renewable-energy-fluctuations-and-volatility-could-see-beijing-supercharge-power-reforms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3268474/chinas-renewable-energy-fluctuations-and-volatility-could-see-beijing-supercharge-power-reforms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jun 2024 11:00:15 +0000 Pollution from man-made emissions and other sources like wildfires have been linked to around 135 million premature deaths worldwide between 1980 and 2020, a Singapore university study found. Weather phenomena like El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole worsened the effects of these pollutants by intensifying their concentration in the air, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University said, unveiling the results of a study led by its researchers. The tiny particles called particulate matter 2.5, or... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3266127/singapore-study-links-air-pollution-135-million-premature-deaths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3266127/singapore-study-links-air-pollution-135-million-premature-deaths?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Jun 2024 05:43:57 +0000 Beijing on Wednesday pledged to weed out China’s “backward production capacity” with high levels of energy consumption and pollution – a move set to meet its carbon-reduction goals and also ease industrial-overcapacity concerns voiced by Western politicians. The country will also raise the share and utility rate of renewable energy in its electricity grid by enhancing power storage capacity, while “strictly and reasonably” controlling coal consumption, according to the 2024-25 Energy Saving and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3264737/china-targets-wasted-production-critical-sectors-curb-pollution-ease-overcapacity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3264737/china-targets-wasted-production-critical-sectors-curb-pollution-ease-overcapacity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 May 2024 11:00:51 +0000 China has commenced operation of its deepest mobile oil rig in the northern rim of South China Sea, to extract marginal resources amid its growing emphasis on energy security and technological self-reliance. The offshore home-grown rig is located in the Enping oilfield, about 200km (124 miles) southwest of Shenzhen city, state broadcaster CCTV said on Saturday. Developed by the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), the rig has a drilling capacity of 9,085 metres, with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3259084/chinas-new-south-china-sea-oil-rig-helps-it-drill-deep-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3259084/chinas-new-south-china-sea-oil-rig-helps-it-drill-deep-energy-security?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Apr 2024 13:01:12 +0000 Environmental protection tends to be an afterthought rather than a priority for governments the world over, especially when such measures may take a long time to produce concrete results. But it justifiably becomes a pressing agenda when put against the actual health and economic benefits for the people and society. From fighting air and water pollution to cutting waste and promoting recycling, there is no shortage of studies and data to prompt a greater sense of urgency for actions. A fresh... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3255672/link-between-clear-air-and-fewer-suicides-another-reason-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3255672/link-between-clear-air-and-fewer-suicides-another-reason-act?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Mar 2024 17:14:06 +0000 At EcoPark, Hong Kong’s first recycling business park in New Territories, New Life Plastics (NLP) has been running the city’s largest food-grade plastics recycling facility aspiring to process a quarter of the city’s 4.7 million plastic drink containers landfilled daily. At the December 2022 opening ceremony of the state-of-the art, 6,500-square-metre plant that cost US$11.6 million to build, Patrick Healy, chairman of Swire Coca-Cola said setting up NLP was a “huge step” towards the Hong... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3253787/how-hong-kong-can-rescue-struggling-recycling-industry-and-win-its-war-plastic-waste?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3253787/how-hong-kong-can-rescue-struggling-recycling-industry-and-win-its-war-plastic-waste?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Mar 2024 05:30:10 +0000 China is at heightened risk of missing its climate targets and suffering major economic losses unless it takes decisive actions to put a halt to runaway coal power plant expansion and reform outdated power grid management, new research has found. To fix challenges posed by an unchecked boom in construction of coal power plants initiated in the name of preventing periodic power shortages, Beijing must scrap policies that support coal power generation, according to climate analysts. Last year, the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3252722/climate-change-china-risk-missing-its-goals-unless-it-takes-drastic-action-rein-coal-expansion-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3252722/climate-change-china-risk-missing-its-goals-unless-it-takes-drastic-action-rein-coal-expansion-new?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:11 +0000 Chinese scientists are conducting trials on a new treatment that could become the first therapy in the world to reverse and repair the damage caused by a severe lung disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is primarily caused by smoking and household pollution, obstructs airflow and causes breathing problems in about 700 million people globally. It is the third leading cause of death in the world, however there is no treatment to repair lung cells damaged by the condition,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3252047/chinese-team-tests-lung-treatment-may-be-first-reverse-damage-chronic-disease-affecting-700-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3252047/chinese-team-tests-lung-treatment-may-be-first-reverse-damage-chronic-disease-affecting-700-million?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Feb 2024 07:15:34 +0000 An additional 3 billion people worldwide may lack clean drinking water by 2050, with China among the areas most at risk, a global study has projected. A team of researchers in Germany and the Netherlands estimates that small river basins in southern China, central Europe, North America and Africa will become water scarcity hotspots because of high nitrogen pollution levels. “Our … assessment shows that nitrogen pollution in rivers [was] an important cause of water scarcity in 2010 and will... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3251104/people-china-among-extra-3-billion-set-face-freshwater-scarcity-2050-because-nitrogen-pollution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3251104/people-china-among-extra-3-billion-set-face-freshwater-scarcity-2050-because-nitrogen-pollution?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Feb 2024 06:00:28 +0000 The Cop28 UN climate summit held in Dubai last year concluded with an agreement that, for the first time, commits countries around the world to transition away from the use of fossil fuels. On the first day of the meeting, a new climate fund for loss and damage was established. The host country, the United Arab Emirates, has pledged to contribute US$100 million, and many other states have also agreed to chip in. The funds are intended for the countries most severely affected by climate... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250631/it-time-developing-china-start-funding-un-climate-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3250631/it-time-developing-china-start-funding-un-climate-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Feb 2024 11:00:08 +0000 Amid angst over its economic prospects, China has doubled down on its efforts to nurture technological innovation. While the government must make adjustments where its policies have fallen short, it undoubtedly got some things right. Wuxi, in Jiangsu province, is a prime example of how its regional technology policy is working. Unlike in other countries where distinct boundaries exist between the public and private sectors, China’s municipal governments are deeply entrenched in fostering... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247114/china-tech-wuxi-model-shows-local-governments-how-drive-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3247114/china-tech-wuxi-model-shows-local-governments-how-drive-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jan 2024 12:30:16 +0000 In the face of worsening climate anxieties, the hard-earned Cop28 Dubai consensus to transition away from fossil fuels has been hailed as a historic breakthrough, notwithstanding small island nations’ fears for their survival amid rising sea levels and some cynicism about the sincerity of vested fossil-fuel interests. What is certain, however, is China’s accelerating role in driving the global momentum towards carbon neutrality in the coming decades. There are many reasons. In September 2020,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246696/climate-action-how-china-accelerating-drive-towards-net-zero-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3246696/climate-action-how-china-accelerating-drive-towards-net-zero-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Dec 2023 11:30:08 +0000 China has banned the building of new steel factories in a drive to cut carbon emissions and improve air quality. The measures were included in a broader 36-point plan to “defend the blue sky” published by the State Council on Thursday. The plan, under which new plants are “strictly prohibited”, expands a previous ban on new steel projects in specific regions to the whole country. The main goal is to reduce the concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5) in larger cities – the most harmful small... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3244421/china-bans-new-steel-plants-drive-defend-blue-sky-and-cut-atmospheric-pollution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3244421/china-bans-new-steel-plants-drive-defend-blue-sky-and-cut-atmospheric-pollution?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Dec 2023 12:04:01 +0000 India and China have each struggled with throat-searing air pollution blanketing their major cities with the onset of winter. Only one country has succeeded in tackling the problem. China has made strides in scrubbing the once-foul air that had become a fact of life each year in major cities like Beijing and industrial towns across the country. Meanwhile, huge swathes of northern India continue to choke on clouds of polluted air, peaking during the winter period as temperatures drop, winds... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3244262/what-india-can-learn-china-about-cleaning-its-constant-filthy-air-problem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3244262/what-india-can-learn-china-about-cleaning-its-constant-filthy-air-problem?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Dec 2023 01:30:19 +0000 China will establish a backup coal-production system by 2027 to stabilise prices and secure its supply, the country’s economic planner said on Wednesday, as the world’s biggest coal consumer presses on to boost energy security. The new system aims to create 300 million metric tonnes of “dispatchable” annual coal production by 2030, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a circular posted on its site seeking public feedback. Mines with at least 3 million tonnes of annual... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3244237/china-deems-coal-reserves-insufficient-after-past-power-crises-hit-industries-livelihoods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3244237/china-deems-coal-reserves-insufficient-after-past-power-crises-hit-industries-livelihoods?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Dec 2023 13:00:21 +0000 It feeds one of the Earth’s rarest species. It was the writing surface for some of the earliest books. It could prove essential in reducing vast amounts of carbon emissions – and China has more of it than anywhere else. Bamboo, the tall, thick grass perhaps most popularly known as the chief component of the giant panda’s diet, has a number of uses even in the present day. The sturdy stalks can be fashioned into scaffolding or roofing, and the pulp can be woven into a variety of fabrics. This... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3243521/chinas-bamboo-could-replace-high-emitting-plastics-tech-bottlenecks-are-stunting-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3243521/chinas-bamboo-could-replace-high-emitting-plastics-tech-bottlenecks-are-stunting-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Dec 2023 14:00:12 +0000 Environmental inspectors in China have taken miners and regulators to task over violations at a major reserve of critical minerals in northwestern Qinghai province. Inspectors dispatched from the central government and the State Council found breaches of environmental regulations in the Qaidam Basin, a salt lake area long mined for potash and in recent years for lithium carbonate, which is used in the manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles. The team found that companies did not adhere... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3243679/china-targets-miners-and-watchdogs-snap-eco-compliance-audit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3243679/china-targets-miners-and-watchdogs-snap-eco-compliance-audit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Dec 2023 11:00:18 +0000 Record clean energy installations could help China’s power sector to reach peak emissions in the next two years, but continued investment in coal-based capacity and a lack of firm emissions targets could undermine optimism about the country’s green transition, according to climate researchers. China is expected to generate 440 terawatt hours (TWh) of clean electricity from solar, wind, hydro and nuclear sources in 2023, exceeding the country’s 10-year average electricity demand growth of 367 TWh... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3243124/climate-change-record-clean-energy-generation-could-propel-china-peak-power-sector-emissions-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3243124/climate-change-record-clean-energy-generation-could-propel-china-peak-power-sector-emissions-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Nov 2023 00:00:18 +0000 Big oil and gas companies in China and elsewhere are using low-quality carbon offsets to “greenwash” their imports of natural gas while failing to make strong emissions cutting commitments, environment group Greenpeace said on Monday. Firms like PetroChina and CNOOC Gas and Power have signed long-term contracts with Shell to buy “carbon neutral” liquefied natural gas (LNG), which uses “forest offsets” to balance out carbon emissions. Greenpeace, which has long opposed fossil fuel producers... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3242907/greenpeace-accuses-chinese-oil-and-gas-firms-petrochina-and-cnooc-greenwashing-lng-purchases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3242907/greenpeace-accuses-chinese-oil-and-gas-firms-petrochina-and-cnooc-greenwashing-lng-purchases?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Nov 2023 03:29:25 +0000 State-owned Chinese developer Lujiazui Corp has vowed to safeguard the interests of its shareholders as it seeks more than 10 billion yuan (US$1.37 billion) in compensation for what it claims is a heavily polluted land parcel in Suzhou, west of Shanghai. The company, officially known as Shanghai Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone Development, said in an exchange filing on Monday that a lawsuit it filed nine days ago in higher court would reveal the truth and minimise financial losses. It also said... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3241385/shanghai-developer-lujiazui-corp-pledges-us137-billion-lawsuit-will-prove-claim-about-polluted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3241385/shanghai-developer-lujiazui-corp-pledges-us137-billion-lawsuit-will-prove-claim-about-polluted?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Nov 2023 14:30:10 +0000