china case study

• china context


  china is the worlds biggest carbon dioxide producer due to rapid industrialisation

  in 2014 china was responsible for 29% of global carbon dioxide emissions

  7/10 of the most polluted cities are in china

  china burns more coal than the USA, Europe and Japan combined
• chinas aim


  in 2006, the chinese government officially implemented the "china renewable energy law"- this aims to develop more renewable resources

  by 2020, china will have reduced its dependence on coal from 64%- 58%
• in 2014 the three gorges dam generated


  98.8 billion kWh of electricity which is roughly the same as burning 49 million tonnes of coal
• the 3 gorges dam is also said to control

  the flooding of the Yangtze river which has caused many deaths
• the dam flooded


  632km2 of habitat which forced around 1.4million people to be relocated
• in 2012


  large numbers of those who were relocated were still living in unsuitable accomodation
• the dam has also caused

  landslides, damaging biodiversity and wildlife
• china is currently building

  a giant solar power station in the gobi desert
• the gobi desert solar power station could produce enough

  energy to power 1 million homes
• the solar power station is estimated to produce

  200million megawatts of energy
• disadvantages of the solar power station

  are deserts are fragile habitats and can easily be damaged during construction

  solar panels use toxic materials like cadmium which can harm the environment.