Matthews Asia: Pollution And China's Economic Transformation

In the winter, many parts of China tend to experience heavier smog than usual. In fact, in major cities like Beijing, the air has become so toxic and unbearable that the government has issued public red alerts—the highest alert level of a four-color scale—which has forced the closure of factories and schools. I frequently return to China, where I’m from, and while I am excited to see the newly built skyscrapers, airports and high-speed railways, I am deeply worried about the consequences of the heavily polluted air, water and land. China has come a long way to become the world’s second-largest economy. However, the development phase that relied on high energy consumption and caused severe environmental damage is largely coming...