China: Ocean Pollution Moved Back to Center Stage

Econintersect: The Chinese media is buzzing with reports of ocean environmental pollution.  With these coordinated articles, it appears pollution is again being moved by the government to the front burner of issues which must be addressed.  China CNTV reports that booming offshore human activity, such as oil exploration, are worsening China’s fragile marine environment.

The severely polluted sea area surged to 44,000 square kilometers in China in 2011 from 25,000 sq km in 2003, according to China’s 2011 marine environment report released on Monday by the State Oceanic Administration.

Li Xiaoming, director of the department of marine environment protection at the administration, blamed overdevelopment in the coastal area for the country’s worsening water quality.

“Just one number can tell you how serious this is. More than 80 percent of the coastline in Bohai Bay has been crowded by factories and buildings,” Li said.

The last time the Chinese government made a push on this subject was in early 2010.  There also have been periodic reports of polluted seafood entering the food chain.  Most of the seafood harvested (both in farms and in open waters) is destined for the Chinese markets.

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– http://edition.cnn.com

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Steven Hansen

Sources: China CNTV, NY Times and other sources as linked.