Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Pandgt;China's historic economic expansion is driven by fossil fuels, which increase its emissions of both local air pollutants and greenhouse gases dramatically. Clearing the Air is an innovative, quantitative examination of the national damage caused by China's degraded air quality, conducted in a pathbreaking, interdisciplinary U.S.-China collaboration. Its damage estimates are allocated by sector, making it possible for the first time to judge whether, for instance, power generation, transportation, or an unexpected source such as cement production causes the greatest environmental harm. Such objective analyses can reset policy priorities.Clearing the Air uses this information to show how appropriate "green" taxes might not only reduce emissions and health damages but even enhance China's economic growth. It also shows to what extent these same policies could limit greenhouse gases, suggesting that wealthier nations have a responsibility to help China build environmental protection into its growth.Clearing the Air is written for diverse readers, providing a bridge from underlying research to policy implications, with easily accessible overviews of issues and summaries of the findings for nonspecialists and policymakers followed by more specialized, interlinked studies of primary interest to scholars. Taken together, these analyses offer a uniquely integrated assessment that supports the book's economic and policy recommendations.andlt;/Pandgt;
Review
"There is no such detailed, comprehensive analysis of this topic. All in all, a commendable effort."--Vaclav Smil, Distinguished Professor, University of Manitoba, author of *China's Environmental Crisis* The MIT Press
Review
"*Clearing the Air* is essential for anyone seriously interested in China's environment. Well researched and well written, the book documents what is known -- and not known -- about air pollution damage in China. Despite its serious theme, it optimistically concludes that it is possible to reduce air pollution at an insignificant cost to economic growth. That conclusion, and the premises on which it is based, deserves to be read and discussed widely."--Haakon Vennemo, Director, ECON, Norway The MIT Press
Review
"[I]mpressively integrated...[A]ccessible...The multidisciplinary framework...allows for a total picture to emerge....At a time when Beijing should be considering not only its local pollution problem, but also its global greenhouse gas emissions, Messrs. Ho and Nielsen's suggestions are a welcome addition to the debate...." Sam Geall Far Eastern Economic Review The MIT Press
Review
"In contrast to the World Bank report Cost of Pollution in China: economic estimates and physical damages (2007), which caught the attention of the mainstream mass media..., this edited volume by Mun Ho and Chris Nielsen stands as a solemn, solid, and scholarly defence of the same alarming message -- air pollution causes significant damage to the Chinese population and economy...Reader-friendly...This book is a methodological breakthrough in the research on the environment-health nexus in China." Fengshi Wu Asian-Pacific Economic Literature The MIT Press
Review
"[Should] appeal to a broad readership...The first three chapters...provide an easily understandable synopsis...perfect for readers...or for faculty teaching a broad survey course on China...This volume is to be commended as a very accessible presentation of an ambitious and thorough research undertaking." Robert W. Mead The China Quarterly The MIT Press
Review
"[T]he most comprehensive report on economic costs and human health impacts of air pollution ever undertaken in China."
— Haidong Kan, China Review International"In contrast to the World Bank report Cost of Pollution in China: economic estimates and physical damages (2007), which caught the attention of the mainstream mass media..., this edited volume by Mun Ho and Chris Nielsen stands as a solemn, solid, and scholarly defence of the same alarming message—air pollution causes significant damage to the Chinese population and economy...Reader-friendly...This book is a methodological breakthrough in the research on the environment-health nexus in China."
— Fengshi Wu, Asian-Pacific Economic Literature"[I]mpressively integrated...[A]ccessible...The multidisciplinary framework...allows for a total picture to emerge....At a time when Beijing should be considering not only its local pollution problem, but also its global greenhouse gas emissions, Messrs. Ho and Nielsen's suggestions are a welcome addition to the debate...."
— Sam Geall, Far Eastern Economic Review"The encouraging—indeed politically crucial—observation is that such 'green taxes' would yield a double dividend: reducing environmental and health damage while enhancing economic growth. That last win-win finding should be an offer that a government cannot refuse."
— Anthony J. McMichael, The Lancet"[Should] appeal to a broad readership...The first three chapters...provide an easily understandable synopsis...perfect for readers...or for faculty teaching a broad survey course on China...This volume is to be commended as a very accessible presentation of an ambitious and thorough research undertaking."
— Robert W. Mead, The China Quarterly"There is no such detailed, comprehensive analysis of this topic. All in all, a commendable effort."
—Vaclav Smil, University of Manitoba"Clearing the Air is essential for anyone seriously interested in China’s environment. Well researched and well written, the book documents what is known – and not known – about air pollution damage in China. Despite its serious theme, it optimistically concludes that it is possible to reduce air pollution at an insignificant cost to economic growth. That conclusion, and the premises on which it is based, deserve to be read and discussed widely."
—Haakon Vennemo, Director, ECON, Norway
Review
"[T]he most comprehensive report on economic costs and human health impacts of air pollution ever undertaken in China." Haidong Kan China Review International The MIT Press
Review
"The encouraging -- indeed politically crucial -- observation is that such 'green taxes' would yield a double dividend: reducing environmental and health damage while enhancing economic growth. That last win-win finding should be an offer that a government cannot refuse." Anthony J. McMichael The Lancet The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"[I]mpressively integrated...[A]ccessible...The multidisciplinary framework...allows for a total picture to emerge....At a time when Beijing should be considering not only its local pollution problem, but also its global greenhouse gas emissions, Messrs. Ho and Nielsen's suggestions are a welcome addition to the debate...." Sam Geall Far Eastern Economic Reviewandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;" andlt;Iandgt;Clearing the Airandlt;/Iandgt; is essential for anyone seriously interested in China's environment. Well researched and well written, the book documents what is known -- and not known -- about air pollution damage in China. Despite its serious theme, it optimistically concludes that it is possible to reduce air pollution at an insignificant cost to economic growth. That conclusion, and the premises on which it is based, deserve to be read and discussed widely." andlt;Bandgt;Haakon Vennemo andlt;/Bandgt;, Director, ECON, Norway andlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"In contrast to the World Bank report andlt;Iandgt;Cost of Pollution in China: economic estimates and physical damages (2007),andlt;/Iandgt; which caught the attention of the mainstream mass media..., this edited volume by Mun Ho and Chris Nielsen stands as a solemn, solid, and scholarly defence of the same alarming message -- air pollution causes significant damage to the Chinese population and economy...Reader-friendly...This book is a methodological breakthrough in the research on the environment-health nexus in China." Fengshi Wu Asian-Pacific Economic Literatureandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"[Should] appeal to a broad readership...The first three chapters...provide an easily understandable synopsis...perfect for readers...or for faculty teaching a broad survey course on China...This volume is to be commended as a very accessible presentation of an ambitious and thorough research undertaking." Robert W. Mead The China Quarterlyandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"[T]he most comprehensive report on economic costs and human health impacts of air pollution ever undertaken in China." Haidong Kan China Review Internationalandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
andlt;Pandgt;"The encouraging -- indeed politically crucial -- observation is that such 'green taxes' would yield a double dividend: reducing environmental and health damage while enhancing economic growth. That last win-win finding should be an offer that a government cannot refuse." Anthony J. McMichael The Lancetandlt;/Pandgt; The MIT Press
Review
"There is no such detailed, comprehensive analysis of this topic. All in all, a commendable effort." Vaclav Smil , University of Manitoba The MIT Press
Synopsis
China's historic economic expansion is driven by fossil fuels, which increase its emissions of both local air pollutants and greenhouse gases dramatically. Clearing the Air is an innovative, quantitative examination of the national damage caused by China's degraded air quality, conducted in a pathbreaking, interdisciplinary U.S.-China collaboration. Its damage estimates are allocated by sector, making it possible for the first time to judge whether, for instance, power generation, transportation, or an unexpected source such as cement production causes the greatest environmental harm. Such objective analyses can reset policy priorities.Clearing the Air uses this information to show how appropriate "green" taxes might not only reduce emissions and health damages but even enhance China's economic growth. It also shows to what extent these same policies could limit greenhouse gases, suggesting that wealthier nations have a responsibility to help China build environmental protection into its growth.Clearing the Air is written for diverse readers, providing a bridge from underlying research to policy implications, with easily accessible overviews of issues and summaries of the findings for nonspecialists and policymakers followed by more specialized, interlinked studies of primary interest to scholars. Taken together, these analyses offer a uniquely integrated assessment that supports the book's economic and policy recommendations.
Synopsis
Clearing the Air is written for a diverse audience, providing a bridge from underlying research to policy implications, with easily accessible overviews of issues and summaries of the findings for nonspecialists and policymakers followed by more specialized, interlinked studies of primary interest to scholars. Taken together, these analyses offer a uniquely integrated assessment that supports the book's economic and policy recommendations.
Synopsis
China's historic economic expansion is driven by fossil fuels, which increase its emissions of both local air pollutants and greenhouse gases dramatically.
Synopsis
An interdisciplinary, quantitative assessment of the health and economic costs of air pollution in China, and of market-based policies to build environmental protection into economic development.
Synopsis
andlt;Pandgt;An interdisciplinary, quantitative assessment of the health and economic costs of air pollution in China, and of market-based policies to build environmental protection into economic development.andlt;/Pandgt;
About the Author
Mun S. Ho is Visiting Fellow at Harvard's Institute for Quantitative Social Science and Visiting Scholar at Resources for the Future, Washington, D.C. Nielsen and Ho are coeditors of Clearing the Air: The Health and Economic Damages of Air Pollution in China (MIT Press).Chris P. Nielsen is Executive Director of the Harvard China Project in Harvard University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.