Were China's Olympic greening efforts short-term?

December 5, 2008 11:17 AM

Will China's efforts to go green for the Olympics be instituted for the longer-term or for a broader geographic range?
posted by GIMG to science & nature (3 answers total)

From everything I've heard, it seemed like they were doing it just for the 2008 Olympics.
Shutting down factories and having cars driven only every other day based on license plate numbers doesn't really sound like a long-term plan the Chinese government would be interested in.
posted by dunkadunc at 11:29 AM on December 5, 2008

Just like so many other things in life, it will only continue as long as it is profitable. With the boost of tourism now behind it, much of that will have disappeared. If the "green revolution" continues and people gain a preference for environmentally friendly goods, then it very well could continue.
posted by JuiceBoxHero at 2:32 PM on December 5, 2008

Bloomberg (19 hours ago)
China to Raise Retail Fuel Taxes, Abolish Road Fees

China, the world's second-largest energy user, will increase retail fuel taxes and abolish some fixed charges for car owners next year to spur the use of more efficient vehicles and to meet energy-saving targets....

The country wants to curb fuel usage to reduce oil imports and to help cut pollution in major cities.

I think as with any industrializing nation China will reach, or already has reached, a point where environmental degradation is unsustainable and unpopular. Certainly in terms of the recent wave of melamine- and other-contaminant-related deaths there has been a huge increase in awareness of such issues. China does not have an effective way for popular opinion to be expressed and so probably tends more toward these sweeping all-of-a-sudden reforms. But I think you'll see more of this.
posted by dhartung at 12:32 AM on December 6, 2008