Demographic Impact on Environment - A Case Study Focussing on CO 2 Emission in China

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission derived from economic activities results primarily from the fossil fuels consumed. The variety of fossil fuels used, the degree of efficient consumption of energy, economic growth and national population size determine the total amount of CO₂ emission in a country. Considering its population size as well as its potential for economic development, China is expected to play a key role in the global warming issue in concert with other industrialized Asian countries, including Japan.

In the present study, the impact of population increase on total CO₂ emission in China during the period 1982-1990 was analyzed. During the study period, population increase and CO₂ emission per capita were 21 per cent and 70 per cent, respectively. In terms of population increase by region, some provinces in the inland areas and megacities, like Shanghai and Beijing, contributed the highest figures. To cope with high fertility in the inland areas as well as massive population inflow into the urban areas simultaneously, increasing the number of medium-sized cities to be located in the inland areas could be a solution.

For CO₂ emission per capita, the figures for the North-Eastcrn provinces and South-Eastern provinces along the coast are remarkable. The estimate of total emission of CO₂ by 2010 is 1.6 million tons, a 74 per cent increase from 1992. Energy transition is the key to the stabilization of CO₂ emission in China.

Keywords

Carbon Dioxide(CO2)China economic growth global warming population

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Flavin C , Dunn S. Responding to the threat of Climate Change. In: Brown LR , Flavin C , French H , editors. State of the World 1998. New York: WW Norton & Company 1998:113–30.

2. ESCAP. Integration of Population, Environment and Development Policies. Population Research Leads 1991;37:1–18.

3. Bates AK. Climate in Crisis. Summertown: The Book Publishing company 1989:5–24.

4. Bongarrts J. Population growth and global warming. Population and Development Review 1992;18(2):299–319.

5. Drake WD. Towards Building a Theory of Population-Environment Dynamics. In: Ness GD , Drake WD , Brechin SR , editors. A Family of Transitions in Population-Environment Dynamics Michigan. Michigan University Press 1996:305–56.

6. Cho LJ. Industrial transition and demographic dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region. Proceeding of the international symposium on the role of the Asia-Pacific region in world economic development. Tokyo 1984:41–59.

7. China Academy of Social Science, Population Research Institute. Almanac of China's Population; 1985,1986,1992. Beijing. Economic Management Publishing Co.

8. State Statistical Bureau , People's Republic of China. China Statistical Year Book: 1982-1995. Beijing. China Statistical Publishing House.

9. United Nations Statistical Bureau. Demographic Year Book: 1980-1990. New York.

10.

10. China Environment Year book Committee. China Environment Year book: 1995. Beijing. China Environment Year book Press.

11.

11. Ehric PR , Holdren JP. Impact of population growth. Science 1971;171: 1212–7.

12.

12. Edmonds J , Reilly J. A long-term global energy-economic model of CO2 release from fossil fuel use. Energy Economics 1983; Apr:74–88.

13.

13. Chang S. The floating population: An informal process of urbanization in China. International Journal of Population and Geography 1998;2(3): 197–214.

14.

14. Peng X. Demographic transition in China. New York: Oxford University Press 1991:214–75.

15.

15. Tomidate T , Kibune H. Entrance to energy economics. Tokyo: Toyo-Keizai-Shinpou Pub. Co. 1994:17 (in Japanese).