Research Paper on China's Environmental Policies: Strict Regulations and Local Enforcement

Introduction

Environmental policies in China are established and enforced by the National People's Congress and controlled by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. China's government uses strict regulations to manage air pollution, but the actual enforcement and monitoring are mainly carried out by the local government. In China, the environmental works of non-governmental forces such as journalists, lawyers, and non-governmental bodies are under the regulation of the central government. Under the Ministry of Environmental Regulation of China, the Regulations and Laws and the Department of Policies are mandated with strengthening and establishing necessary policies and laws such as administrative policies, environmental laws, and economic regulations. The government is solely responsible for the establishment of the ecological macro strategy and protection policies. China's increased economic expansions combined with the state's loose environmental oversight have triggered ecological issues (Chen et al., 2017). With increased public pressure, the central government has come up with several mechanisms to deal with the issue of air pollution in the country.

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The State Environmental Protection Administration, formerly the Ministry of Environmental Protection, is the regulatory body responsible for the implementation of the policies favorable to curbing air pollution as well as the establishment of the environmental regulations and laws. The Ministry is also crucial for ensuring the protection of water, land, and air from contamination and pollution (Zhang et al., 2019). The Ministry is empowered by the law and required to ensuring the implementation of the effective environmental laws and enforcement of such regulations. In complementing its role, the Ministry organizes and funds the research and development (Chen et al., 2017).

Health Challenges Caused by Air Pollution

Statistics have shown that about 1.6 million people die every year as of air contamination and pollution. A report that was compiled by the Health Effects Institute showed that the country is facing health challenges owing to air pollution. The Chinese government cut the concentration of the harmful particles infamously known as the MP2.4 by 6 percent in about 300 cities last in 2017. The smog-prone areas also met the 2014-2016 air quality target following a winter campaign as a way of cutting the coal consumption, industrial output, and traffic. However, deaths are feared to rise as the Chinese people age (Chen et al., 2017). The study also showed that air quality control mechanisms remain below China's policy standards.

"People are now living longer, and the senior citizens are considered susceptible to diseases that are connected with air pollution. The major causes of deaths in the country are diseases such as heart attack, stroke, and lung cancer." Dan Greenbaum, HEI president, confirmed to Reuters. Healthy people are shown to experience health challenges from air pollution, including breathing difficulties, respiratory irritation resulting from outdoor activities or exercises (Hao et al., 2018). Individual actual risks of adverse effects depend on their health status, pollution concentration and type, and the period of exposure to the contamination. Air pollution is linked to severe health problems, including:

• Added stress to lungs and heart
• Aggravated respiratory and cardiovascular diseases
• Damage of the respiratory system
• Prolonged exposure to air pollution can have lasting health effects such as
• Decreased lung function and loss of its capacity
• Increased aging of the lungs
• Development of illnesses such as bronchitis, asthma, cancer, and emphysema
• Short life span

The people who are most susceptible to serious health challenges from air pollution are:

• Pregnant women
• Individuals with coronary artery, heart disease or congestive heart failure
• Outdoor workers
• Elderly and older adults
• Children below the age of 15
• Athletes who undertake outdoor activities

Studies have consistently shown that ground-level ozone layer is usually formed when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react with ultraviolet rays from the sun. The primary source of the NOx and VOCs are automobiles, including trucks, cars, buses, agricultural equipment, and construction equipment. The ground-level ozone can reach its higher level during the day and evening hours (Hao et al., 2018). The high-level concentration of the gas occurs during the months of summer. It has a strong irritant smell that results in airways' constriction, which forces the respiratory system to be blocked, causing breathing problems.

Additionally, it can cause other severe health problems such as respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma, dry throat, wheezing, chest pain, nausea, and heartache; lung damages and symptoms such as sore throat and coughing and prolonged fatigue.

Particulate matter is considered as a complex mixture containing smoke, soot, nitrates, metals, tire rubber, sulfates, dust, and water. The harmful content can be emitted in the form of smoke or from nitrogen oxide reactions. The particles are linked with the cause of health problems. Small particles such as the PM3.5 pose severe health problems since they destroy the body's defense mechanisms and hence get deep into the bloodstream and lungs. Prolonged exposure to these particles can affect your heart and lungs (Jiang et al., 2015).

Prolonged exposure to air pollution results in significant health challenges, including:

• Aggravated asthmatic condition
• The decrease in lung functionality
• Difficulties in breathing, coughing, airways irritation
• Development of chronic diseases especially in children
• Irregular heartbeats
• Heart attacks
• Deaths resulting from respiratory diseases including lung cancer

A study by the World Health Organization shows that about three million children in China live in regions where air pollution has exceeded the international set limits, and about 400 million children live in areas air pollution transcends six times the global boundaries. The elderly, children, and individuals with lung or heart diseases, diabetes, low-income, and minority communities are considered to be at high risk of adverse health problems resulting from air pollution, including asthma, cardiovascular, cancer, and other respiratory illnesses. Air pollution has also been linked to a higher rate of autism, diabetes, and low IQ (Li et al., 2015). The black carbon is one of the significant elements of air pollution and comes from the burning of fossil fuels and wood, diesel, and coal.

Interventions

Generally, sustainability involves all forms of growth and development that maintain current generations without the possibility of compromising future generations. It has three different components, environmental, social, and economic sustainability. In environmental sustainability, the primary concern is whether natural resources will be protected from human activities and maintained to protect the interests of future generations. One case example of environmental sustainability is the transformation of the Hong Kong Industrial Area. What was once a vast dumping site that posed a lot of health and environmental hazards has now been regenerated into a park; the 134-acre piece of land houses more than 600 industries, both medium- and large-scale industries (Shen et al., 2015).

The waste dumps and air pollution associated with these industries raise serious concerns, especially on the grounds of reduced water levels and high salty waters unfit for consumption. Hong Kong area, in particular, was transformed into a dumping site that holds more than 1,375 tonnes of waste (Wong et al., 2017). Industrial engineers, however, through the help of the government and other bodies, decided to turn the area into a green park where 1,500 different types of trees were planted. This has helped recharge groundwater by 8 meters since its inception proving just how the project is environmentally sustainable (Peng et al., 2017). Furthermore, the Chinese government and motivated industrial engineers argue that this project is just a small step and a great beginning towards developing the Industrial Area. With this understanding, a successful sustainable environmental growth in this line should involve a wide range of decisions that affect the future viability of a particular environment and its respective communities. Additionally, Industrial engineers need to focus and participate in different educational programs to convey the much-needed awareness and knowledge.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Air pollution is a national environmental challenge in China, associated with a severe impact on health and the environment. There is a need for the government to strengthen its corporation to ensure they have reduced the effects of air pollution in their respective countries. Air pollution has both environmental and health impacts that impact international communities, and they include ecological damages such as the water ground, soil, and the air itself - health impacts, which include respiratory disorder, vascular heart dysfunctions, skin infections, and allergic disorders.

To curb the challenge of air pollution in the country, thus there is a need to develop a strategic innovation plan which they can implement. All member regions must develop an action plan which they will use to reduce traces of polluted air, the creation of environmental policies that regulate air emission in the environment from the industries and the motor vehicles, use of natural products as sources of energy, and finally develop a waste framework directive. Despite the member states developing innovative plans to reduce air pollution in their countries, there are several barriers which face the member and hinder them from implementing air pollution reduction policies they had laid down. Obstacles that impede the implementation of the strategic plans include the media focusing on a particular approach of air pollution reduction strategy, poor regulatory program evaluation, an unsatisfactory method of pollution fines allocation, and inadequate means of data collection and management.

The environment calls for protection to ensure there is a reduction in air pollution cases. There is a need to integrate various solutions such as air pollution and air quality solutions to help in the reduction of air pollution. Such solutions can be implemented through the creation of awareness to the public and the integration of the answers into international laws that governors the member states. The Chinese government has sole responsibility of ensuring its members states achieve their environmental goals in their sustainable development goals agenda which can be made by the government empowering its people by improving the science-policy interface, providing its member states with updated information from experts, through capacity building and offering technical support where needed and finally by the government being in the front line in advocating environmental laws and policies.

References

Chen, X., Shao, S., Tian, Z., Xie, Z., & Yin, P. (2017). Impacts of air pollution and its spatial spillover effect on public health based on China's significant data sample. Journal of cleaner production, 142, 915-925.Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652616300312

Hao, Y., Peng, H., Temulun, T., Liu, L. Q., Mao, J., Lu, Z. N. & Chen, H. (2018). How harmful is air pollution to economic development? New evidence from PM2. Five concentrations of Chinese cities. Journal of cleaner production, 172, 743-757. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652617325039