Pollution From Chinese Coal Casts a Global Shadow
Those who naively think recycling their garbage and driving a little less is going to help solve the world’s pollution and climate change problems haven’t the remotest idea how big and intractable the problems really are. Lester R. Brown in his book, Plan B - Rescuing a Planet under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble 
, said that nothing less than a reorganization of how we do things equivalent to the mobilization the U.S. underwent as we changed our economy over to a war-time footing at the outbreak of WWII, will be enough. And this ‘reorganization’ of how we do things needs to be global if it is to have a chance of succeeding. Contrast that with the foot dragging going on here in the U.S. with regard to even recognizing that there is a Global Climate Crisis. And contrast it with the likelihood that we can talk the billions in China and India into giving up their long held ambitions to live just like we do here in America. No, friends, if someone says things are desperate, they’re not exaggerating - not by half.
Unless China finds a way to clean up its coal plants and the thousands of factories that burn coal, pollution will soar both at home and abroad. The increase in global-warming gases from China’s coal use will probably exceed that for all industrialized countries combined over the next 25 years, surpassing by five times the reduction in such emissions that the Kyoto Protocol seeks.
(note: the NY TImes requires a signup to read its on-line version but it is free and painless)
