What_Is_Causing_the_Environmental_Degradation_in_the_Chongqing_Area_

What is causing the environmental degradation in the Chongqing area' 1- The environment is essential to human life for the simple fact that the environment is nature and we are part of nature. If nature around us collapses, we collapse. 2- Briefly talk about Development: a. Historical Mao to Deng Xiao Ping in Chongqing * Desire to develop economy – to modernize * The desire of power in order to prevent any further future suppression. * China desires to develop in order to lift China’s population out of poverty and raise standards of living. b. From Deng to Today in Chongqing * SEZ (Shenzhen) c. What drives this development: * Economic opportunity * Massive amount of labor * Cheap production * Motivation and dedication of the people 3- Present Situation Talk about the Industrial areas built in Chongqing and their negative environmental impact. * Data of Industrial areas built in Chongqing. * Data of tourist areas created in the in Chongqing. * Data of the amount of financial center created in Chongqing. * Data that shows the amount of population relocated to other areas from Chongqing. * This is: 1. Adding pressure to urban areas 2. Expansion of the urban areas 3. Decreasing a more sustainable way of life 4- Talk about other negative environmental impacts of urban development in Chongqing: * Point source pollution: * Sewage, industry, dumps, etc. * Non-Point pollution: * Fertilizer, transportation, gases, trash (especially the large amounts of plastic used in the food industries). 5- What is the true driving force behind the environmental destruction in the Chongqing area' * Economic development is priority (GDP increase) * Increasing the standard of living * Quick profits * Desire to modernize * A poor population in search for profits * Local Government (short-term) versus Central Government (long term) * Until recently there have been few environmental laws * Extremely difficult to enforce law * Bribery * Short term office position lead to the search for short term results 6- The projects of preservation, with the aid of the government, could be more environmentally conscious, but the environment still is not even on their radar: d. What did these people have in mind when planning the preservation area: * Keep community intact, re-vitalize the historical importance of the area, clean, preserve, restore the old neighborhoods, and slightly modernize, increase better social services in the area, increase socializing areas, attract a certain amount of tourism to sustain the area and need no for further aid, creating new social areas: 4. Nationalizing, beautifying, exposing to the public, and slightly commercializing the historical sites * The environment is completely missing from the planner’s picture 7- What is being done to help the environment' e. NGOs. f. Use foreign companies as models for domestic ones. g. Extremely strict laws (among strictest in the world) * Environmental damage is so critical it could no longer be ignored * International pressure * Domestic pressure 8- What else should be done' h. Greater Central Government control * Promote green spaces, solar panels. Eco-friendly sewage, water recycle, eco-friendly trash disposal by: * Create Incentives. * Increase monitoring. * Increase environmental awareness * NGOs * Propaganda * Fight bribery. * Increase official’s wages which are low. * What else can the central government do' 9- One day or another people will have to come to terms with environmental issue. With the goal of modernization, fixing, rebuilding and developing old neighborhoods, now would be a perfect time to address the environmental issue as well. i. What can I do' Personal Notes: * Transparency.com