China & India & cooperation to sustain the global environment

India and China the world’s emerging economic giants will determine the world’s environmental future – there is also the threat of resource-driven conflicts between the two. This Science Magazine report sets out the issues. The report has to be purchased - I’ll summarise the main issues.

Both countries are using many natural resources – iron ore, coal and gas imports are not even mentioned – but there is a concentration of imports too from S.E. Asia. By 2020, China and India may be importing 64% of all currently produced roundwood in Asia contributing to deforestation-driven GGEs and biodiversity loss. Both countries import 9 million tons of crude palm oil annually—one-quarter of global production—mostly from Malaysia and Indonesia.

The degree to which China and India consume natural resources within their boundaries, and beyond, will determine future global environmental, social, and economic outcomes..

For example the Himalayas are fragile ecosystems, which recover slowly from disturbance.

Both countries now face severe surface and groundwater shortages. Given climate-induced increased snow and glacier melt,  the hydrology of major Asian rivers will be severely affected. The rush to harness HEP by building hundreds of dams on both sides of the earthquake-prone Himalayas will accelerate changes in hydrology and effects of climate change. Further, China may divert water before it enters India so disputes over boundaries could extend to water resources.

Exploitation of Himalayan resources will accelerate as energy consumption rises more rapidly in Asia than anywhere else. Snow melt from Himalayan glaciers constitutes a principal water resource during the summer months for half of the world’s population. Decreasing water resources, loss of biodiversity, increased pollution, and climate change may have negative social and economic consequences and escalate conflicts within and between the countries.

Benefits from Cooperation

China and India can learn from each other. India’s energy efficiency is higher than China’s but China has much to offer to India in poverty reduction, health care, and large conservation programs, including the Natural Forest Conservation Program and the Grain-to-Green Program.  Cooperation could mitigate climate change, environmental damage, and biodiversity loss both regionally and globally.

China, have experience with micro-hydro. Local communities, especially in the Himalayas, have a tremendous knowledge of biodiversity, hydrology, and climate change. Sharing this knowledge could enhance the development of appropriate technologies. Both countries have recently increased forest cover – China by a lot, India by a little. Promoting sustainable forest use in the rest of Asia would reduce help mitigate climate change.

So far, coordination has been limited, although there have been several signed agreements since 1988 but the level of overall scientific collaboration has been lower than expected. In 2009, a symposium on biodiversity and environmental changes in the Himalayan region was held in China and was attended by Chinese and Indian scientists. More recently, India and China have agreed to comonitor glaciers and to collaborate in areas of energy, agriculture, and afforestation.

Linguistic and cultural differences keep Indian and Chinese apart even in international meetings. The severity of environmental challenges remains underappreciated.

Greater Cooperation

1. Both countries need to overcome cultural and linguistic barriers. Although China has been actively promoting Chinese language and culture internationally in recent years, only 2 Confucius Institutes established worldwide are in India. Similarly, India needs to promote Chinese studies in India and Indian studies in China.

2. Some alpine zones, are ideal for conversion to trans-boundary protected areas or peace parks for which UNESCO could develop guidelines—and jointly run research stations could not only protect biodiversity, provide key ecosystem services, help mitigate climate change, and foster scientific collaboration, but also promote cooperative conservation actions and peaceful resolution to the border dispute.

3. Academies must exercise leadership in highlighting environmental issues, initiating joint actions, and fostering scientific exchanges. Exchange and joint supervision of graduate and postdoctoral students could build on existing programs. The governments could also establish a joint grants program for Himalayan research, as China and India have taken preliminary steps to establish a framework for scientific cooperation. The ecological societies of China, Japan, and South Korea have formal agreements for cooperation and hold regular joint meetings. Such meetings could include India and place more emphasis on the environment.

4. Considering the number of heritage sites in the Himalayas, UNESCO and the UN Environment Programme, could be key in facilitating cooperation. Moreover, international foundations and NGOs engaged in environmental issues on both sides of the Himalayas could develop transnational programs.

5. Existing political and economic forums, such as the East Asia Summit and ASEAN  could pay more attention to the environment, which sustains economic endeavors.

Finally, developed countries could facilitate and encourage multinational talks on environmental problems. The US has good relations with China and India, but is engaged in separate discussions with each over economic, energy, and environmental issues. Ultimately, as China and India build more confidence and consensus from within, they will settle their differences bilaterally, particularly when environmental security overrides concern for political boundaries.