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ADB says China, Japan should tackle pollution together

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China and Japan should put aside their diplomatic differences and find common ground in protecting the environment, the Asian Development Bank said Monday.

Takehiko Nakao, ADB's president, said China could learn from Japan's historical record in cleaning up its once heavily polluted environment.

"The area of environment is a good area of cooperation between these two countries," he told AFP in Hong Kong where he was visiting for the Asian Financial Forum.

"Japan had serious air and water pollution in the late 1960s and in the 1970s and there were so many laws enacted and there were so many actions taken," Nakao said, adding that China could learn from Japan's experience.

Though China's economy is one of the fastest growing in the world, it is plagued by major environmental problems associated with the pace of its industrial growth.

Dense, acrid smog shrouded China's commercial hub Shanghai and other eastern cities last month, delaying flights and spurring sales of face masks.

And levels of PM 2.5 -- tiny particles considered particularly hazardous to health -- hit as high as 24 times the World Health Organization's safety guidelines.

Nakao said Japan could share its green expertise with China such as renewable energy technologies and innovations in low-emission hybrid vehicles.

He also said Chinese officials were very serious about the country's environmental issues, but urged swift implementation of regulations to lower pollution.

Asia's economy "cannot be sustained," Nakao warned, if nothing is done to address the problem of pollution.

Diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Beijing cooled in 2012 in the wake of a dispute over an East China Sea island chain.

The Manila-based ADB in October urged the two nations, along with neighbors South Korea and Mongolia, to set up a climate research network and an emissions trading scheme.

A carbon trading market could see the countries hit their greenhouse gas emission targets at a "significantly lower cost than acting alone", it said at the time.

As an export-oriented industrial powerhouse, the East Asia region accounts for 30% of the world's total energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, the bank said.

Beijing, whose population tops 20 million, launched a lottery system in 2011 for an annual maximum of 240,000 car registrations to curb pollution.

Tianjin, a coastal city near Beijing with 14 million people and 2.36 million registered motor vehicles last year, said last month it will cap new car plates to 100,000 a year.

Founded in 1966, the ADB is similar to the World Bank, and aims to reduce poverty in Asia by helping its 67 member countries evolve into modern economies through investment in infrastructure, financial and public administration, and health services.

© (c) 2014 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

14 Comments
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Good idea! The Chinese especially need to clean up.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Here we go, that is the spirit which could lead these two counties to somewhere with mutual benefits.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

China and Japan should put aside their diplomatic differences and find common ground on plenty of things.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Yes! DO IT!! ;)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This will NEVER happen. China is experiencing it's own "industrial revolution" and only cares about one thing - GROWTH.

Even if 90% of it's waterways are polluted and half its river system has vanished...

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Carbon is not the problem! Dont your countries teach you any fundamental science? Atmospheric particulates that are associated to production or processing are the cause behind pollution - carbon is in our bodies and planet -- We are a carbon based solar system where the Carbon atom reigns supreme. Al Gore and his idiotic Carbon Credits is a liar and dolt - I have visited Japan several times and I do not see pollution in Japan as I see in China. I do not see that Japan who has worked to keep its air and skies clean is obligated to assist China to clean up its act which it has put off doing since the 1960's! That is dereliction of duty that s all pure and simple! China was at one time proudly Communist but discovered the art of making money -- China has to see that money cannot be hoarded - To do any good money has to be invested back into the country and these investments create a Free Market System like the USA where technology, Industry and Commerce create ,invent and make products and processes that in turn help the air, help the people, increase farm out put, develop new products and then these can be marketed. Los Angeles California in USA was BROWN when I moved there in 1962. By 1970 the air was and still is beautifully clear , clean and devoid of pollution. BUT THE AIR IS FILLED WITH Carbon Dioxide which is used by plants and the return by product is that plant life produces OXYGEN!!!! It is particulate matter that my company can help to remove from your Chinese skies. Carbon is not an enemy -- Liars like the environmentalists are your enemies.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

If something could get the Chinese and Japanese to co-operate it would be a good thing but I have to say I'm skeptical right now.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Takehiko Nakao, ADB’s president, said China could learn from Japan’s historical record in cleaning up its once heavily polluted environment.

Ahem! Like dumping radiated water into the Pacific Ocean? A country without conscience trying to teach other countries what to do just to appear altrusic?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The problem is, China has had policies to crowd industry into tightly packed cities with incredibly high population densities. These policies have made what could have been a manageable pollution problem close to unmanageable because of the sheer density. Whereas in most countries that aren't centrally planned have industry a little bit here, and a little bit there, China has them concentrated in the cities and absolutely nothing in the more rural areas. I would say without these policies of crowding everyone and all industry into cities, we wouldn't see a pollution problem in China.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

China is over a century behind Japan. Besides why should Japan help China - the bad-mannered land grabbing noisy neighbor!?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Btw actually China already begins the rollout of regional cap-and-trade pilot projects since June last year. http://www.nature.com/news/china-gets-tough-on-carbon-1.13175

I suppose ADB hasn't caught their attention yet.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Like the way Japan handles Fukushima? How audacious can one get. Except for the Japanese audacity is a major trait.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Take littering seriously as a global environmental problem. Which will be the first nation to solve this ubiquitous yet harmful practice? http://www.litterpreventionprogram.com/news-reel.html

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Air pollution in City like Shanghai and Beijing is very bad. I don't believe emissions trading scheme will reduce CO2 emission. Deforestation is major problem for Global warming and air pollution in within regions. Country like Indonesia and Brazil Government must stop forest cleansing for Palm Oil plantation and Soy Bean plantation. Also Chinese Government must stop peoples trafficking Timber from neighboring country like Burma. The world should be planting more trees and banned wooden products import from Brazil, Indonesia and China.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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