How Will The U.s. Economy Be Affected If China Undermines Its Own Economy Through Environmental Mismanagement?
Posted by China Sourcing CommentatorAug 9
For example, with all the coal plants China has planned, and the already poor air quality that exists in many Chinese cities, China can expect much higher health care costs in coming years. Same situation with their polluted rivers, which are making it much more costly for Chinese people to get clean drinking water (and affordable health care).
So if China’s economy is negatively affected by mismanagement of natural resources, how will that affect the U.S. economy?
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Two thoughts come immediately to mind. First, pollution is already being channeled from China to the US via the jet stream. Second, think of the strains on the world economy if 1.2 billion people need to be fed because their agricultural and industrial output fails due to soil degredation or pollution.
There is an interesting chapter in Jared Diamond’s book “Collapse” about China, as well as other economies that have actually collapsed due to environmental mismanagement.
It’s all about competition.
We need to step up or be left behind.
It’s called capitalism.
one scenario is that the cost of their products which are dirt cheap now may rise faster creating a niche or return of manufacturing jobs to the US- or to another developing country – they are kind of in a crunch though because if they dont make these electrical plants fast enough now it will stifle the growth which is making the Chinese better off today – so either way they are in a lose/ lose situation if the hypothetical theory above holds true – I also believe that a lot of brains are working on resolving the growing environmental problems of the world -and it will be resolved if the US decides to put it as a challenge to themselves – right now there is a lot of negativity on this situation – which usually pushes them to do the right things – I wouldnt be surprised to see 90 % of environmental problems resolved within the next 10 years