China's Water, Air Are Among World's Most Polluted, OECD Says

China's Water, Air Are Among World's Most Polluted, OECD Says

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601089&sid=aZYalv0_8kMk&refer=china

By Laurie Burkitt


Emissions from factories in China July 18 (Bloomberg) -- China's air and water quality is among the worst in the world as economic growth strains the environment, according to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Air pollution rules in the world's fastest-growing economy aren't regularly enforced, and the number of cars doubled in the five years up to 2000, according to the OECD report, released yesterday. The proportion of China's cities suffering from acid rain rose to 10 percent in 2004, compared with 2 percent in 2000.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao this month said pollution and waste in China have become ``grim.'' He told government departments to be more urgent about cutting emissions and saving energy.

About one-third of China's lakes, rivers, and coastal waters are polluted because of farming and industry waste and are a threat to human health and future economic growth, the report said. A water shortage, affecting 400 of China's 600 larger cities, is likely to stunt economic growth and ecological recovery. Water, along with energy, is under-priced, according to the OECD.

The report, which contains 51 recommendations, said waste infrastructure and management lacks government funding. Total waste increased by as much as 80 percent in the period from 1990 to 2005, according to the report.

China's economy grew 11.1 percent in the first quarter and economists expect a 10.9 percent expansion in the second. The OECD is an international group aimed at promoting trade and development.