US-China Commission Report - Fatal System Error

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Witnesses at the August hearing emphasized how important it is
for China to increase its willingness and improve its ability to collect
and report energy statistics. In this vein, China has agreed to
participate in the Joint Oil Data Initiative, an effort to alleviate oil
supply uncertainty among oil producers and consumers by collecting
and sharing data. In June 2008, China and other nations
represented at the G-8+3 Energy Ministers’ meeting committed to
participate fully in this initiative. 148 Full participation requires full
disclosure of China’s oil demand, production, and reserves statistics,
and it is the belief of the members of this initiative that access
to such information will bring about greater security and transparency
in the oil market.
China’s environmental data collection has problems and shortcomings
comparable to those in its collection of energy data. Dr. Joanna
Lewis told the Commission that China’s collection of carbon
dioxide emissions data is severely lacking. She indicated that,
based on her experience, collecting reliable carbon emissions statistics
can be very difficult because the results often rely on industrylevel
data, and she offered the opinion that China needs assistance
in designing data collection efforts and mechanisms, monitoring the
collection systems, and using the data to model and project emissions
patterns. She further noted that having a functional national
emissions inventory system is a crucial step toward equipping the
government to adopt and enforce emissions reduction policies. 149
Dr. Jonathan Schwartz highlighted in his testimony that China’s
government-sponsored environmental organizations can make significant
contributions to increasing the government’s accountability
and transparency but that those groups need international recognition
and support if they are to survive and fulfill the very important
role they can play in China:
Direct and indirect funding for activities and training of
China’s environment community is the most obvious option.
Another important form of support is global public attention.
Any environmental organization that tests the political
limits on behavior faces the threat of government sanction.
However, global public attention and support for such organizations
raises their profile and constrains the Chinese
state from taking action against these groups with impunity.
150
Addressing the Environmental Impacts of China’s Energy
Consumption
China’s Domestic Energy Use and Pollution
The PRC government has promulgated several policies and initiatives
intended to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption,
and reduce pollution. Because environmental conditions
are inextricably intertwined with energy consumption, the government’s
energy policies will significantly affect environmental pollution.
In its first energy White Paper released in December 2007, the
Chinese government assigned a high priority to sustainable, balanced
development that promotes economic growth but recognizes