Environment

29-July-2022

English

The economic benefits of international co-operation to improve air quality in Northeast Asia - A focus on Japan, Korea and China

Air pollution is a global challenge to people’s health and has severe economic consequences. The region of Northeast Asia is no exception. Across most regions in Japan, and in the entire territories of Korea and China, annual average concentrations of fine particulate matter are above the guideline levels indicated by the World Health Organisation, indicating a risk to health. Policy action to tackle air pollution across the three countries, could prevent air pollution related illnesses and deaths, without affecting economic growth. This report presents projections for the impact of air pollution polices until 2050, with differing levels of regional coordination. Projections for current policies are compared with unilateral policy action, whereby each of the three countries introduce more stringent policies to tackle air pollution; alongside regionally coordinated policy action by all three countries; and policy action on a global level. The report presents the health, agricultural and economic impacts, and identifies considerable benefits from further coordination on air pollution policies, such as with regional and global policy action.

13-March-2020

English

Policies, regulatory framework and enforcement for air quality management: The case of China

Four decades of rapid economic expansion in China has generated enormous pressure on the environment, natural resources and public health. Alarming smog outbreaks during the 2010-13 period prompted the government to introduce a number of reforms to control air pollution, including a re-organisation of environmental institutions, improving the coordination and integrity of enforcement actions across levels of government, and the rolling out of a permit system for all stationary pollution sources. This paper reviews these recent developments, and discusses key remaining challenges. The paper complements two case studies on air quality policies in Korea and Japan, and a third case study on international regulatory cooperation on air quality in North America, Europe and North-East Asia.

26-September-2016

English, PDF, 513kb

Environmental taxes: Key findings for China

This country note provides an environmental tax and carbon pricing profile for China. It shows environmentally related tax revenues, taxes on energy use and effective carbon rates.

26-May-2016

English

China's climate change combat

China was among the near-200 countries to adopt the Paris Climate Change Agreement (Paris Agreement) at an historic UN conference in Paris, France on 12 December 2015. As an emerging economy and one of the world’s major emitters of greenhouse gases, how China implements the Paris Agreement will be important. We asked Dr Xuedu Lu of the Asian Development Bank for his views.

23-April-2013

English

Reforms for a cleaner, healthier environment in China

China’s exceptional economic expansion has led to rising energy demand and pollution as well as other environmental pressures. Strong efforts by the government have moderated emissions of some types of air and water pollution from high levels but others, including greenhouse gas emissions, continue to rise. Poor air and water quality threaten human health, create other costs and reduce well-being.

12-September-2005

English

Governance in China

Governance is the next issue the People’s Republic of China needs to tackle. This report shows how governance impacts on public action by looking at different policy sectors, takes stock of the progress made in public management and public finance, and explores policy options for the future.