Some would call it poetic justice. If we ramp up thermal coal exports to China, we will not only poison the citizens of Beijing and Shanghai 鈥� we will likely contaminate our own air.
Prevailing winds across the 91原创 connect us directly to China鈥檚 unfolding environmental catastrophe. Indeed, disturbing new studies have found that on some days, up to 25 per cent of 91原创鈥檚 air pollution already comes from China, largely from coal-burning plants.
Yet it鈥檚 likely to get worse. China plans to increase the use of coal to produce electricity by nearly 40 per cent in the next decade, and North American coal exports to China are slated to increase by 150 million tonnes annually. Ports in 91原创, Prince Rupert and the 91原创 Northwest are rapidly expanding to feed the insatiable demand of Chinese factories for thermal coal.
Pollution from Chinese coal-burning plants is a diverse stew, including sulphur dioxide, black carbon, ozone and carbon dioxide. But two of the most worrisome coal pollutants are toxic mercury and lead. We鈥檝e spent decades trying to protect our children from these heavy metals that impair brains and nervous systems. For example, we鈥檝e taken draconian action to ban lead from paints and gasoline, and to clean up the Trail lead smelter.
Yet in half the air samples taken in a recent California study, more than 30 per cent of the lead came from Asia. And 42 per cent of Canada鈥檚 mercury pollution now comes from China.
Quite apart from the health impacts of air polluted with such contaminants, burning of coal in China is absolutely central to the question of climate change. In an era where record-breaking weather events flood Calgary, level Stanley Park trees and inundate Manhattan subways, we should not ignore Time magazine鈥檚 recent warning: China is burning almost as much coal as the rest of the world combined. We won鈥檛 solve global warming until that changes.
However, instead of addressing these pollution and climate problems, we are planning to dramatically ramp up coal exports.
Unfortunately, this will prop up China鈥檚 coal economy 鈥� and directly undermine its efforts to move to cleaner alternative energy.
How can we clean up the Chinese pollution crisis that is now becoming our own air-pollution problem?
First, it鈥檚 important to understand what created this situation. The problem began when corporations moved factories to China to avoid North American pollution standards. Companies wanted to produce cheaper goods for North American markets, free of environmental and labour regulations. To supply dollar stores and Walmarts, we outsourced our manufacturing 鈥� and pollution 鈥� to Asia.
It is now clear what happens when you lack effective environmental rules. China has the most polluted air in the world. It has reduced the lifespan in northern China by more than five years and led to 鈥渟tay indoors鈥� warnings as far away as Japan. And, ironically, this pollution is now coming home to roost in North America. In a global world, there is no place called 鈥渁way.鈥�
The challenge is this: How do we stop companies from evading our pollution laws by moving to Asia and then polluting our air indirectly? Just how do we control pollution from offshore plants that are producing goods for us?
A recent National Academy of Sciences study has highlighted this emerging problem, and called for new international agreements to 鈥渃onfront the question of who is responsible for emissions in one country during production of goods to support consumption in another.鈥�
Such new international agreements might provide one long-term solution.
But more immediately, governments at all levels need to carefully scrutinize the proposals for massive new thermal coal export facilities in B.C. and the 91原创 Northwest. Governments should not approve such proposals without first determining the full impacts of shipping coal 鈥� they must ensure that new coal exports will not compromise the air we breathe.
Calvin Sandborn is legal director and Rosie Jacobs and Kyle McNeill are students at the University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre.
