The impacts of little emperors on Chinese Society

A paper in the recent Science documented the impact of China's One-Child Policy, and they conclude that the policy has produced "less trusting, less trustworthy, more risk-averse, less competitive, more pessimistic, and less conscientious individuals."

The authors conducted standard games from the economics literature, including the Dictator Game to elicit the extent of altruism, the Trust Game for trusting and trust-worthiness, the risk Game for risk attitude, and the Competition Game.  

Special issue: Contemporary Issues of Forest Research and Management in China

Environmental management Vol 48 (6), 2011, including papers about PES or Eco-compensation as they call it in China.

Another case of Water War: Mekong

Hydropower Development in the upper Mekong is controversial. It hits both Science and Nature lately.

Update: More about potential Water Wars for China.
Update: Laos' plan of constructing a dam seems to be delayed as well.
Update: latest progress in stalling dam constructions.
Update: Mayhem on the Mekong

Failure to engage

A major problem in environmental management in China for year 2010.

China will hit emission peak target in months rather than 2020

According to BP (details).

Higher portion of Chinese think "scientists should stay out of politics"

According to a survey of 269 respondents from China (details in Nature).

Yes, the word "politics" has a negative meaning in Chinese, and yes, the 269 people were self-selected therefore not representative. But, I still think the result has some legitimacy.

China's research culture

Merit-based or connection-based? A recent Science paper claimed it is more of the latter.

Bt cotton: a source of mirid bugs in China

Long-term ecological effects Bt cotton (Science).

Making Chinese officials see green

Finally. They changed the ruler to measure LOCAL officials' performance.

Urbanization rate of China reached 45.7%

and the urban population is 607 million.

Special issue on applied ecology and conservation in China

Journal of Applied Ecology, Volume: 46 ( 3), June 2009.

China's Water Woes: Past, Present, and Future

By Kenneth Pomeranz.

China’s Drought May Make Birds More Susceptible to Avian Flu

Stressed systems are more vulnerable. The same thing could be said about drought/global warming and biological invasion.

Update: the next is increased epidemic risks

Tibetan Plateau at risk

Video and other resources from Asia Society's website

Update: more alerting news and at the same time, China is planning on this (yes, another) unthinkable water diversion project.

Outdoor gyms generate electricity for local TVs in China

Very cool idea thought not sure how stable the energy inflows were (from TreeHugger)

The true cost of coal in China

"The report estimates the external costs to China of using coal. The term “external” incorporates air and water pollution, ecosystem degradation, damage to infrastructure, human injuries and loss of life, and takes into account the distortion of government regulations."

"...in 2007 alone, on average, each tonne of coal used in China caused environmental damages of RMB 150. The total external costs of coal use in 2007 reached RMB 1.7 trillion, equal to 7.1 per cent of China’s 2007 GDP."

HT: Samir Kiran Doshi via GIEE list.

Is China ready for GM rice?

"We cannot afford to think too far ahead but must tackle the present issues (more from Nature)." A very dangerous thought I have to say.

With the recent land-use reform (peasants for the first time be allowed to trade or rent out their land tenancies), this means it is possible to have industrial-scale GM crops in China!

China is becoming less capitalist economy?

More from the Economist.

Shenhua Energy Wins Australia Coal Exploration Permit

Bloomberg reported.

I guess the Chinese coal company can potentially make money by mining in Australia, even with much higher production & transportation costs and with an upcoming carbon tax? If this is true I feel scared.

Marine dead zones: a global picture

From the latest Science. Still not a complete picture--you would expect more from coastal zones in China.