Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Environment

Download or read book Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Environment written by Lawrence R. Sullivan and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2019-10-08 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The largest emitter of green-house gases since 2007 and top polluter of the increasingly stressed Pacific Ocean, the People’s Republic of China is both a major contributor to environmental degradation and a leading contender to mitigate and stabilize global environmental conditions. Reviewing the history of the PRC from the periods of central economic planning (1953-1978) followed by the single-minded pursuit of economic growth and mass consumption beginning in 1978-1979 to the adoption of a more balanced approach stressing environmental protection and restoration beginning in the 1990s, Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Environment documents both the enormous damage to the country’s natural environment and the dramatic attempts by the Chinese government and environmental non-government organizations (ENGOs) at environmental amelioration and restoration. Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Environment contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 200 cross-referenced entries on environmental degradation including air and water pollution, deforestation, desertification, and resource depletion while efforts at amelioration and restoration include river and waterway clean-ups, reforestation and desert control, restoration of fisheries, creation of national nature reserves, along with energy conservation and development of renewables such as solar and wind power. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the Chinese Environment.