East Asia
Sustainable development means working together to meet people’s basic needs—the things they need to survive, such as food, clean water and a place to live—in ways that will continue to work in the long term and will protect the environment.
China is the fastest growing economy in the world—but as business booms, the environment suffers. Air pollution in urban areas continually worsens, and today China is home to many of the most polluted cities in the world.
Fact File
In China’s urban areas, 90 percent of groundwater and 75 percent of lakes and rivers are polluted.
When people don’t have access to clean water, their lives are not sustainable. In China, people in rural areas are 24 percent less likely to have access to improved water sources than people in urban areas.
Adequate sanitation is also a priority for sustainable development. In East Asia more people have access to adequate sanitation than they used to, but there is still a tremendous gap in access in rural and urban areas. In 2002 in China, for example, 69 percent of people in urban areas had access to adequate sanitation, while only 29 percent had access in rural areas.
It’s important to remember that the responsibility for a cleaner environment also lies with people around the world. If global consumers like people in North America always demand cheaper products, producers in countries like China cut corners and pollute the environment to satisfy these demands. Conscious and ethical shopping is essential if the global environment is going to be protected.
Think About It, Talk About It
Challenge students to pay a visit to a nearby dollar store. Have them look at the labels and see where products are made. They’ll probably find that most products are made somewhere in East Asia. Talk with the class about this. If they’re buying a calculator for $1, how much is the person who made it making? If we’re focused on making the most money possible, do company owners put money into improving their impact on the environment?
In East Asia, more people die from natural disasters than anywhere else in the world. This is connected to sustainability—with natural disasters people lose their homes, livelihoods, educational facilities and access to health care, safe water and clean sanitation.
Everyone needs to work together—during crises like these and during ongoing problems like poverty, health and education—if we are to create a lasting future for children in rural China and for children everywhere and if East Asia is going to reach the targets set out by the Millennium Development Goals.