Environmental Issues And Modern Silk Road
The environment in south and southeast Asia is vast and extremely beautiful. It is full of amazing wildlife unlike anything else in this world. Southeast Asia is made up of eleven different countries from China to eastern India and is usually divided into Island and mainland zones. However environmental issues are constantly encountered and very widespread. Although many environmental agreements have been met, environmental issues like greenhouse gas emissions are still a threat to the humans and animals who live here. It is a big deal here just as it is a big deal all over the world. Whether it is the devastation of rainforests, rising sea levels, or greenhouse gas emissions, it has become apparent that environmental problems do not stop at nations boarders.
Experts around the world have determined that if we do not begin to limit greenhouse gas emissions within the next 15 years, it will make it “virtually impossible” to solve the problem of climate change with existing technologies. We are already to the point where we have so much carbon dioxide in the air that just planting more trees can’t even save us. Its just not physically possible anymore. Major developed countries like the United States and European counties will play a major role in these times to help with the movement of carbon emissions because of their knowledge of it and their responsibility for it. However much of these greenhouse gas emissions in the next 10 years will be coming from outside of the developed world. “Ninety two percent of the increase in global greenhouse gas emissions between 2012 and 2040 is projected to originate in counties that are not members of the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).” Of that ninety two percent, forty five percent of total growth is expected to come from just China, who has already become the leader in in greenhouse gas emissions. Whatever solution we come up with for solving climate change, China will have to play a major role as well as the countries under their influence.
As previously stated China has a major impact in this area of South and Southeast Asia, and they are quickly becoming an economic power the likes of which this world has never seen. In the last thirty years there has been a rapid economic growth throughout china. This has led to a rise in energy consumption as they are now the leader globally in that as well. One solution being used today is outsourcing a large percentage of emissions to the developing world. Much of this outsourcing was focused and sent to China. Although emissions in developed countries have flattened out, the other developing counties have seen a huge rise in emissions like China. This was thought to be a solution to the problem, but it really just made things worse. “In fact, between 1990 and 2008, emissions associated with outsourcing far exceeded emission reductions achieved by developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol.”
China's project consists of two components: The Maritime Silk Road Initiative and the Silk Road Economic Belt. These ideas were each announced separately in 2013 during a speech to the Indonesian parliament. The term “Belt” refers to the routes over land for car and train transportation. While the term “Road” refers to the actual sea routes. Chinas contemporary MSRI relates to the ancient silk road that china used to sell their silk and ceramics to people across bodies of water like the Bay of Bengal and East China Sea. While most say the primary end to the MSRI is Europe, it is noted that it will also branch out to various East African countries as seen in figure 1. Each component of these two ideas has a potential to transform the geopolitical landscape by constructing interrelated infrastructure projects like highways, ports, pipelines, and railways. This much hard infrastructure also calls for complementary construction of soft infrastructure like investment agreements and free trade, as well as other pacts.
The Chinese government makes the initiative out as a bid to enhance their connectivity to the region make a better future. However, many people should be scared of something like this. As a lot see it as a push for Chinese dominance in global affairs with china being at the center of trade. It won’t be all bad especially for the counties of South and Southeast Asia. These countries will only benefit from this new way of trade as everything will be centered around their section of the world. It will make for more trade in and out of their country, which means more money for the economy.
When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions I feel as if China’s modern silk road will not affect it too much more then it already does. However, Chinas goal is to become more in control of all the trading in and around Asia, land and sea. This will make for more trade in and around under developed counties which in turn will make for more emissions from Semis, Cargo Ships, and airplanes. Whether it will make the overall amount of emissions go up, well we will just have to wait and see. One thing I do know however is that it will not make it any better. They have just begun to tap into their potential in china. They have a taste for power and control just like the leaders of the industrial revolution before. This is their revolution and they will not stop and settle for what they have now.
Almost all of Southeast Asia lies in the middle of the tropics, so there are many similarities within the climate as well as animal and plant life throughout the region. The Temperatures are usually warm, although it is much cooler in the highlands. Many jungle and sea products are unique to this region, and ultimately were very desired by traders in the early days. Some of these products included cloves, nutmeg, and mace. The region is also affected by the monsoon winds which blow regularly throughout the year from the northwest and then flip to blow from the southeast. These winds used to help traders from outside the region to come and go with relative ease if you timed it right. Because of this reliable source of travel Southeast Asia became a meeting place for trade between India and China, the two early powers in Asia.
There are a couple differences in the physical environment of island and mainland southeast Asia. One big feature of the mainland geography is its long rivers. They begin in the highlands and separate southeast Asia from northwest India and China. A second feature is its extensive lowland plains. They are separated by mountain ranges and forested hills. That is why these fertile plains are extremely suited for rice growing ethnic groups. The highlands are occupied by tribal groups. These people display their sense of identity through their styles of jewelry, clothing, and hairstyles. A third feature of the mainland is its long coastline.
The islands of SE Asia can range from extremely large to tiny spots on a map. Because the middle of these islands are covered in thick jungle and constantly dissected by the highlands, land travel is not easy. Earlier SE Asians found it much easier to travel by boat between different areas. The oceans that connect neighboring islands and coasts created smaller zones where people were exposed to the same religious and cultural influences and shared similar languages. Modern boarders created by the old powers back in colonial days do not reflect cultural and logical divisions.
Whether it is the devastation of rainforests, rising sea levels, or greenhouse gas emissions, it has become apparent that environmental problems do not stop at nations boarders. These issues should be seen as transitional problems. Which is why policy makers in South and South east Asia should be under increasing pressure to improve their environmental policies in order to satisfy their citizens needs at the national level. In other words, they need to stop procrastinating and just get things done, but sadly that’s just how things work these days.
In the Mekong region, China controls the northern reaches of the river and the government in china is set on building more and more dams in the next couple years. The construction of these dams will result in mass relocations of people living in this area. Also, this will inhibit the spawning routes of many of the fish who swim upstream during certain times of the year. In the end this will lead to tensions and social unrest in china.
Works Cited
- Wang, A. L. (2014). Regulating Domestic Carbon Outsourcing: The Case of China and Climate Change. UCLA Law Review, 61(6), 2018–2066. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=103536002&site=ehost-liv
- Noi, Goh Sui. “China Makes Tracks on Modern Silk Road.” The Straits Times, 18 May 2017, www.straitstimes.com/asia/china-makes-tracks-on-modern-silk-road.
