36
J. Wu and H. Zhao
2.1 Challenges for Low-Carbon Development During
Urbanization in China
2.1.1 The Relationship Between China’s per Capita Carbon
Emissions and per Capita GDP is Still Unstable
Urbanization in developed countries was driven by industrialization in the eighteenth
century and was largely completed in 1970. The first industrial revolution, set off in
the later half of the eighteenth century, marked the dawn of modern industrialization.
The mid twentieth century saw the start of the second industrial revolution, which
sped up industrialization in Europe and the United States, worsening the ecological
environment from production activities as economies took off (Jiagui et al. 2008).
Many deadly environmental incidents occurred during this period, including the
dirty smog in Los Angeles in the 1940 s, the killer fog in London in 1952, and the
minamata disease in Japan in 1956. The experience of developed countries reminds
us that when industrialization reaches a certain level, especially at the late stage,
the tensions between economic and social development and eco-environment would
aggravate and even turn to a full-blown crisis.
The level of China’s urbanization has surged from 10.64% in 1949 when PRC
was founded to 60.60% in 2019, averaging 1.4% growth year-on-year. Permanent
urban residents have spiked from 40 million to 930 million in the past 7 decades, a net
increase of 750 million. The scale and speed of this urbanization have never been seen
in the world, and have exerted dramatic impact on China’s economic growth, social
development and ecological environment. Examples abound for environment worsening during this period, including the continuous outbreak of blue-green algea in
Taihu Lake, Chaohu Lake and Dianchi Lake in 2007, the chromium residue pollution
in Qujing, Yunnan province in 2011, the cadmium pollution in Longjiang, Guangxi
in 2012, and the growing smog in north China since 2012.
In the context of global battle against climate change, low-carbon development
is imperative. To define the relationship between economic development and ecoenvironment in the process of urbanization, the author chose China, the United States,
France, Germany, Japan and South Korea as the objects of research to draw the
diagram depicting relationship between per capita GDP and per capita CO 2 emissions
in these countries.
Figure 2.1 reveals three distinct phases of per capita CO 2 emissions as economies
developed. The first phase saw rising emissions. The growth in per capita CO 2
emissions was proportional to that of per capita GDP. The second phase marked
a stablizing period, where per capita CO 2 emissions remained stable without a sharp
increase, despite the continuous growth of per capita GDP. The third phase showed
a decline in per capita CO 2 emissions even though the per capita GDP were on the
rise.
The diagram suggests that the United States, Germany and France have passed
the periods of rising and stablized per capita CO 2 emissions. Starting the twenty-first
J. Wu and H. Zhao
2.1 Challenges for Low-Carbon Development During
Urbanization in China
2.1.1 The Relationship Between China’s per Capita Carbon
Emissions and per Capita GDP is Still Unstable
Urbanization in developed countries was driven by industrialization in the eighteenth
century and was largely completed in 1970. The first industrial revolution, set off in
the later half of the eighteenth century, marked the dawn of modern industrialization.
The mid twentieth century saw the start of the second industrial revolution, which
sped up industrialization in Europe and the United States, worsening the ecological
environment from production activities as economies took off (Jiagui et al. 2008).
Many deadly environmental incidents occurred during this period, including the
dirty smog in Los Angeles in the 1940 s, the killer fog in London in 1952, and the
minamata disease in Japan in 1956. The experience of developed countries reminds
us that when industrialization reaches a certain level, especially at the late stage,
the tensions between economic and social development and eco-environment would
aggravate and even turn to a full-blown crisis.
The level of China’s urbanization has surged from 10.64% in 1949 when PRC
was founded to 60.60% in 2019, averaging 1.4% growth year-on-year. Permanent
urban residents have spiked from 40 million to 930 million in the past 7 decades, a net
increase of 750 million. The scale and speed of this urbanization have never been seen
in the world, and have exerted dramatic impact on China’s economic growth, social
development and ecological environment. Examples abound for environment worsening during this period, including the continuous outbreak of blue-green algea in
Taihu Lake, Chaohu Lake and Dianchi Lake in 2007, the chromium residue pollution
in Qujing, Yunnan province in 2011, the cadmium pollution in Longjiang, Guangxi
in 2012, and the growing smog in north China since 2012.
In the context of global battle against climate change, low-carbon development
is imperative. To define the relationship between economic development and ecoenvironment in the process of urbanization, the author chose China, the United States,
France, Germany, Japan and South Korea as the objects of research to draw the
diagram depicting relationship between per capita GDP and per capita CO 2 emissions
in these countries.
Figure 2.1 reveals three distinct phases of per capita CO 2 emissions as economies
developed. The first phase saw rising emissions. The growth in per capita CO 2
emissions was proportional to that of per capita GDP. The second phase marked
a stablizing period, where per capita CO 2 emissions remained stable without a sharp
increase, despite the continuous growth of per capita GDP. The third phase showed
a decline in per capita CO 2 emissions even though the per capita GDP were on the
rise.
The diagram suggests that the United States, Germany and France have passed
the periods of rising and stablized per capita CO 2 emissions. Starting the twenty-first