China's Pollution: The Costs, Challenges, and Steps Forward

Day-long symposium presented by the University of Chicago's Center for International Studies, Energy Policy Institute at Chicago, and Paulson Institute. 

Breakfast and lunch will be provided. 

About the Event: More than three decades of rapid economic growth in China have lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty but also led to severe environmental degradation. Faced with “airpocalypse” conditions in major cities and widespread environmental destruction, which not only impair public health but also threatens social stability, the government has launched a war on pollution. This one-day interdisciplinary symposium brings together leading scholars to examine the human and economic costs of China’s environmental crisis, policies and campaigns underway to tackle the challenge, and steps China can take going forward. The symposium will enable participants to take stock of the current state of research on China’s environment, and examine challenges and innovations in environmental governance.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

8:00-8:30: Light Breakfast and Registration

8:30-8:35: Introduction, Dali Yang, University of Chicago

8:35-8:55: Remarks and Brief Discussion, Hank Paulson, Chairman, The Paulson Institute

Session I: The Impact of China's Environmental Degradation- I

8:55-9:20: China's Environmental Degradation and Its Public Health Consequences, Michael Greenstone, the Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC)

9:20-9:45:Environmental Challenge of China's Going Global, Rose Niu, The Paulson Institute

9:45-10:10: Discussion

Session II: The Impact of China's Environmental Degradation-II

10:20-10:45: The Effect of Air Pollution on Mortality in China: Evidence from the 2009 Beijing Olympic Games, Maoyong Fan, Ball State University

10:45-11:10: Is China's Pollution the Culprit for the Choking of South Korea?  Evidence for the Asian Dust,  Ruixue Jia, UC San Diego

11:10-11:35: Discussion

Session III: Metcalf Internship Field Reports- I

11:35-11:40: Introduction of the Metcalf Program and Students, Dali Yang, University of Chicago

11:40-11:50: Monitoring of Pollution Sources in China: Structures and Mechanisms, Michael Jia

11:50-12:00: The Politics behind Environmental Impact Assessment in China, Haonan Zhou

12:00-12:10: The Cement Industry: Regulation vs. Market Power, Yuting Shao

12:10-12:20: Questions and Answers

Session IV: Metcalf Internship Feild Reports-II

1:10-1:20: The War on Pollution, Tyler Ross

1:20-1:30: Waste Incineration in China: Why People Protest, Xiodu Huang

1:30-1:40: Questions and Answers

Session V: Institutional Developments

1:40-2:05: Regional Supervision Centers for Environmental Protection in China: Functions and Limitations, Qingzhi Huan, Peking University

2:05-2:30: Regulatory Capture, China-Style: SOPEs and Environmental Regulation in China, Dongya Huang, Sun Yatsen University

2:30-2:55: Discussion

Session VI: Environment and the Law

3:05-3:30: Chinese State Capitalism and the Environment, Alex Wang, UCLA Law School

3:30-3:55: China's Environmental Courts or Environmental Litigation, Rachel Stern, Berkeley Law School

3:55-4:20: Discussion

4:20-4:30: Closing Remarks, Dali Yang, University of Chicago

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Persons with disabilities who need an accommodation in order to participate in this event should contact Bethel Haile at bhaile@uchicago.edu for assistance.