Event Recap

Scholars, students and community members gathered on January 9th at the University of Chicago for a daylong symposium on the human and economic costs of China’s environmental challenges. The event was co-sponsored by the university’s Center for International Studies (CIS), Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC) and the Paulson Institute.

By Vasiliki Mitrakos and Gosia Labno

Scholars, students and community members gathered on January 9th at the University of Chicago for a daylong symposium on the human and economic costs of China’s environmental challenges. The event, co-sponsored by the university’s Center for International Studies (CIS), Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC) and the Paulson Institute, featured Hank Paulson, chairman of the Paulson Institute, Michael Greenstone, director of EPIC, and Dali Yang, founding faculty director of the university’s Center in Beijing, among others.

Paulson, former U.S. Treasury Secretary, opened the symposium by stressing the importance of a clean environment for economic growth.

“I make the case over and over again that economic progress and a successful economy is not at odds with a clean environment,” he said. “As a matter of fact, they are opposite sides of the same coin. For economic growth to be sustainable, you need a healthy environment, and I think we are increasingly seeing this in the world today.”

With respect to the relationship between the U.S. and China – a key partnership as countries move towards the Paris climate negotiations next December – Paulson emphasized the potential for mutual benefit through further collaboration.

“I don’t think we can address [environmental sustainability] adequately unless the U.S. and China work together,” he said. “We’ve got to move quicker in terms of addressing climate, and our two countries are ready to do it. No one innovates better than we do in the United States… and no one can roll out these new technologies quicker than China.”

China, like the U.S., is already developing policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions. They have done so following several studies linking the country’s heavy air pollution to negative health impacts – including a study by the World Health Organization and by EPIC’s Michael Greenstone. Greenstone presented his findings at the symposium, which found that people in northern China are exposed to more pollution than those in the south. As a result, those living in the north would see their lives cut short on average by 5 years, he found.

Since these findings, China has declared a ‘war on pollution’ and has rolled out several programs and policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions, such as a pilot cap-and-trade program. But many challenges still lie ahead in terms of recuperating the consequences of environmental damages and preventing further damage.

Several University of Chicago students, part of the Metcalf Internship program, provided insight on how citizens, local governments and the national government are dealing with the pollution crisis. Their reports were followed by a discussion on institutional developments, led by Qingzhi Huan (Peking University), Dongya Huang (Sun Yatsen University) and DaliYang (UChicago).

Mark Templeton, a Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School turned the discussion to the environment and implications in the law. He introduced Rachel Stern, from UC-Berkeley, who focused on the rise of China’s environmental courts. She concluded that in order to attract more cases dealing with serious environmental concerns, a clear mission has to be defined by these courts.

The day ended with closing remarks by Yang, a political science professor at UChicago. He considered the symposium a “wonderful collaboration” and encouraged further work amongst the students, professors and researchers. A follow-up symposium is already being planned for the spring. Stay tuned for more information on that symposium, which will likely be webcast.

Agenda

8:00 am–8:30 am

Light Breakfast and Registration

8:30 am

Introduction, Dali Yang, University of Chicago

8:35 am–8:55 am

Remarks and Brief Discussion, Hank Paulson, Chairman, The Paulson Institute

SESSION 1: The Impact of China’s Environmental Degradation - I, Chair, James Sallee, University of Chicago

8:55 am–9:20 am

China’s Environmental Degradation and Its Public Health Consequences, Michael Greenstone, The Energy Policy Institute at Chicago

9:20 am–9:45 am

Environmental Challenge of China's Going Global, Rose Niu, The Paulson Institute

9:45 am–10:10 am

Discussion

10:10 am–10:20 am

Break

SESSION 2: The Impact of China’s Environmental Degradation - II, Chair, James Sallee, University of Chicago

10:20 am–10:45 am

The Effect of Air Pollution on Mortality in China: Evidence from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Maoyong Fan, Ball State University

10:45 am–11:10 am

Is China’s Pollution the Culprit for the Choking of South Korea? Evidence for the Asian Dust, Ruixue Jia, UC San Diego

11:10 am–11:35 am

Discussion

SESSION 3: Metcalf Internship Field Reports- I

11:35 am–11:40 am

Introduction of the Metcalf Program and Students, Dali Yang, University of Chicago

11:40 am–11:50 am

Monitoring of Pollution Sources in China: Structures and Mechanisms, Michael Jia

11:50 am–12:00 pm

The Politics behind Environmental Impact Assessment in China, Haonan Zhou

12:00 pm–12:10 pm

The Cement Industry: Regulation vs. Market Power, Yuting Shao

12:10 pm–12:20 pm

Questions and Answers

12:20 pm–1:10 pm

LUNCH, Saieh 021

SESSION 4: Metcalf Internship Field Reports- II

1:10 pm–1:20 pm

The War on Pollution, Tyler Ross

1:20 pm–1:30 pm

Waste Incineration in China: Why People Protest, Xiaodu Huang

1:30 pm–1:40 pm

Questions and Answers

SESSION 5: Institutional Developments, Chair, Alex Wang, UCLA Law School

1:40 pm–2:05 pm

Regional Supervision Centers for Environmental Protection in China: Functions and Limitations, Qingzhi Huan, Peking University

2:05 pm–2:30 pm

Regulatory Capture, China-Style: SOPEs and Environmental Regulation in China, Dongya Huang, Sun Yatsen University, Dali Yang, University of Chicago

2:30 pm–2:55 pm

Discussion

2:55 pm–3:05 pm

Break

SESSION 6: Environment and the Law, Chair, Mark Templeton, University of Chicago, Law School

3:05 pm–3:30 pm

Chinese State Capitalism and the Environment, Alex Wang, UCLA Law School

3:30 pm–3:55 pm

China’s Environmental Courts or Environmental Litigation, Rachel Stern, Berkeley Law School

3:55 pm–4:20 pm

Discussion

4:20 pm–4:30 pm

Closing Remarks, Dali Yang, University of Chicago

Registration

About the Event: More than three decades of rapid economic growth in China have lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty but also led to severe environmental degradation. Faced with “airpocalypse” conditions in major cities and widespread environmental destruction, which not only impairs public health but also threatens social stability, the government has launched a war on pollution. This one-day interdisciplinary symposium brings together leading scholars to examine the human and economic costs of China’s environmental crisis, policies and campaigns underway to tackle the challenge, and steps China can take going forward. The symposium will enable participants to take stock of the current state of research on China’s environment, and examine challenges and innovations in environmental governance. Guest Speakers Include: Hank Paulson (Paulson Institute), Michael Greenstone (Chicago), Maoyang Fan (Ball State), Ruixue Jia (UC San Diego/Kellogg), Alex Wang (UCLA Law), Dongya Huang (Sun Yatsen), Qingzhi Huan (PKU), Rose Liu (Paulson Institute), Rachael Stern (Berkeley Law) & Mark Templeton (UChicago Law School). RSVP by January 7th. Cost: Free, Contact Bethel Haile: bhaile@uchicago,edu
Areas of Focus: Environment
Definition
Environment
Producing and using energy damages people’s health and the environment. EPIC research is quantifying the social costs of energy choices and uncovering policies that help protect health while facilitating growth.
Air Pollution
Definition
Air Pollution
Air pollution from fossil fuel combustion poses a grave threat to human health worldwide. EPIC research is using real-world data to calculate the effects of air pollution on human health...
EPIC-China
Definition
EPIC-China
China is indisputably critical to addressing the global energy challenge. China is one of the world’s biggest economies, its top carbon emitter, and among its most polluted countries. Yet, China...
Definition
Air Pollution
Definition
Air Pollution
Air pollution from fossil fuel combustion poses a grave threat to human health worldwide. EPIC research is using real-world data to calculate the effects of air pollution on human health...