Air Pollution in Shenzhen, China

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Shenzhen, China (image generated by Hannah Fleckenstein)
Where is Shenzhen?
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Shenzhen, China (image generated by Hannah Fleckenstein)
  • Shenzhen is in southeast China in Guangdong Province, directly north of Hong Kong
  • Climate type: subtropical monsoon (The Climate of Shenzhen and its Four Seasons)
    • Fall: dry (drought season), avg. temp: 64.8 F, 18.2 C
    • Winter: cold with little precipitation, avg. temp: 58.6 F, 14.8 C
    • Spring: rainy and cool, avg. temp:  64.8 F, 18.2 C
    • Summer: hot, humid and rainy (typhoon season), avg. temp: 81.7 F, 27.6 C
Why did we decide to focus our case study on Shenzhen?
  • In 1979 Shenzhen was established as the first special economic zone in China because it is located so close to Hong Kong (He et al., 2012; Chan, 2011; Hays, 2008 Jiang, 2015, p. 213; Tantri, 2013, p. 229)
  • Major companies such as Walmart moved to Shenzhen after it was established as a SEZ
  • Shenzhen was originally populated by farmers and fisherman (Pomeranz, 2006)
  • Shenzhen has one of the highest population densities in China (Pomeranz, 2006)
What is happening in Shenzhen?
  • Increased levels of air pollution due to establishment of SEZ (Zhou, et al., 2014, p. 143)
  • Population increase due to industrialization (migrant workers) (Tianhong, et al., 2016, p. 874)
  • Increased levels of carbon dioxide emissions from increased numbers of personal automobiles
  • Depletion of farmland due to industrialization (Harris & Udagawa, 2014, 619; Tianhong, et al., 2016, p. 874)
  • Reduction of food self-sufficiency (Harris & Udagawa, 2014, p. 619).
  • Increased levels of carbon dioxide emissions from transport of food (Harris & Udagawa, 2014, p. 619)
  • Urbanization to continue until 2030 (Tianhong, et al., 2016, p. 874)

 

Citations

Harris, P. G., & Udagawa, C. (2004, August). Defusing the Bombshell? Agenda 21 and  Economic Development in China. Review of International Political Economy, 11(3), 618-640. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4177513

Hays, J. (2012). Wal-mart in China. Retrieved from http://factsanddetails.com/china/cat9/sub62/item2262.html

He, C., Pan, F., & Yan, Y. (2012). Is Economic Transition Harmful to China’s Urban Environment?Evidence from Industrial Air Pollution in Chinese Cities. Urban Studies, 49(8), 1767-1790. Retrieved October 15, 2016.

Pomeranz, K. (2006). Special Economic Zones (SEZS). In J. J. McCusker (Ed.), History
of World Trade Since 1450 (Vol. 2, pp. 706-708). Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=nysl_ce_col gul&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CCX3447600388&asid=cd06bc7dd04f1 eb204ab27870aa2ac5c

Seeker. [Seeker Network]. (2015, June). What is life really like in Shenzhen, China? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qBEH6zvOWY

Tantri, M. L. (2013). Trajectories of China’s Integration with the World Economy through SEZs: A Study of Shenzhen SEZ. China Report, 49(2), 227-250. doi: 10.1177/0009445513 491526

The Climate of Shenzhen and its Four Seasons. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2016, from https://web.archive.org/web/20150703041006/http://www.szmb.gov.cn/article/QiHouYeWu/qihouxinxigongxiang/qhgxtezheng.html

Tianhong, L., Fengjiao, B., Peng, H., & Yuanyan, Z. (2016). Non-Point Source Pollutant Load Variation in Rapid Urbanization Areas by Remote Sensing, Gis and the L-THIA Model: A Case in Bao’an District,Shenzhen China. Environmental Management, 58, 873-888. doi:10.1007/s00267-016-0743-x

Zhou, Y., Li, Y., & Huang, G. (2014, April 13). Integrated modeling approach for sustainable municipal energy system planning and management — A case study of Shenzhen, China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 75, 143-156. Retrieved December 4, 2016, from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652614003394