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How does China's environmental ethics compare to that of other countries in terms of implementing environmental policies and legislation?

Hermann Vesty

Well, well, well... China's environmental ethics compared to other countries' policies and legislation? Buckle up, my friend, because we're in for a wild ride!

Now, let's first address the elephant in the room: China has been historically known for not being the most eco-friendly country out there. From heavily-polluted cities to strict censorship laws over environmental activists, many have been quick to criticize China's lack of action towards environmental sustainability. However, in recent years, China has been taking significant steps towards reversing its reputation, and implementing more sustainable policies and legislation. Let's dive in and see how it compares to other countries!

To start off, let's talk about China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), in which the country aimed to reduce its carbon intensity by 18%, and increase its non-fossil fuel energy consumption to 15% by 2020. So, how did they do? Well, they exceeded their previous target of 13.3%, and by 2019, China's carbon intensity had decreased by 45.8%! Talk about overachievers.

Moreover, China has also been implementing more regulations for industries notorious for pollution, such as coal and steel. In fact, in 2017, China shut down 42,000 small-scale coal mines, and forced the remaining mines to upgrade their equipment to meet stricter pollution control standards. In addition, China has also been investing heavily in renewable energy, such as solar and wind power. As of 2019, China was the largest producer of solar and wind power in the world, contributing 35% of global renewable energy capacity.

Now, let's compare this to other countries. Take the United States, for example. While the country has been making some progress, it's still a far cry from China's achievements. The Trump administration rolled back over 100 environmental regulations, including the Clean Power Plan, which aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Additionally, the United States has been lagging behind in renewable energy, with only 10% of its energy produced from renewable sources as of 2019.

On the other hand, let's look at some of the more eco-friendly countries out there, like Norway and Sweden. Both countries have been committed to reducing their carbon footprint, and have been investing heavily in sustainable practices. Norway, for example, has been leading the charge in electric cars, with over 50% of new cars sold being electric or hybrid as of 2020. Sweden, on the other hand, has been utilizing waste-to-energy plants to generate electricity, and even has a plan to be carbon neutral by 2045.

So, all in all, how does China's environmental ethics compare to other countries? While it may have a lot of catching up to do, China has been making significant strides towards sustainability, and has achieved some impressive results. Of course, there's always room for improvement, but hey, everyone starts somewhere, right?

In conclusion, there you have it folks: China's environmental policies and legislation in comparison to other countries. Who knew environmental science could be so exciting? If only we could get that puppy to recycle...