China Environmental Law

China has just released the 2008 results of its annual survey of public attitudes toward the environment. 

Despite reported reductions in discharges of major pollutants and a high-profile “green” spin on the Olympics, public satisfaction with environmental conditions in China is falling.

Here’s an interesting comparison (the China Daily article notes that the survey has been conducted for 5 years, but surveys of this type, in fact, go back to at least 1998):

1998: 56.7% of the respondents ranked environmental problems in the country as “very serious” or “relatively serious.” 

2008: 76% of the respondents of the respondents ranked environmental problems in the country as “very serious” or “relatively serious.”

In one part of the survey, participants were asked to rank environmental protection efforts for the year on a scale of 100 - with 1 being the lowest.  The trend here is not a positive one:

• 2008: 52 points
• 2007: 58 points
• 2006: 68 points

Where do environmental concerns rank in terms of other problems faced by the populace?

In 2007 they ranked second just behind the “price of goods.”  In 2008, inflation remained the number one concern, but, not surprisingly, “food security” pushed environmental concerns to the third position.

What’s going on?  I think this quote helps explain the situation:

Zhang Shaomin, CECPA [China Environment Culture Promotion Association] secretary, said: “The falling points show that environmental protection efforts have not been able to keep pace with the fast economic growth and improved living standards.”

People’s expectations as to the kind of environment they want for themselves and their families are rising, but many (particularly those in rural areas) are starting to recognize the extent to which their environment has been degraded.

The masses are speaking, the vanguard should be listening.

P.S. After composing this post I noticed that Scott at China Greenspace has addressed the same survey.  I’m too lazy to write something else, so go over and check out Scott’s take as well.