Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and

Harvard University Center for the Environment

The China Project is a collaborative research program focused on China’s atmospheric environment. With counterparts at Chinese universities, it conducts interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed studies on air pollution and greenhouse gases in China, from the root causes in the demand for and supply of energy, to the chemistry and transport of pollutants in the atmosphere, to their impacts on human health and the economy.  The studies are designed to build knowledge and capacities to inform policies aligning China's domestic priorities on environment and development with equitable international strategies on climate change.

PROJECT NEWS

 *********************************************************************

A new map of wind power potentials in China, expressed as capacity factors of typical 1.5 MW wind turbines, screening out areas with unsuitable land uses and topography.

This research is led by Project Chair Michael McElroy and SEAS doctoral student LU Xi, taking advantage of NASA global meteorological datasets that have been validated by hundreds of studies of atmospheric chemistry and transport. A first paper applying the method globally is now in press in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and was immediately picked up by Time Magazine, the Boston Globe, ABC News, the Telegraph, New Scientist, and National Public Radio. Other news and science press is pending.

Check back soon for a link to a newly submitted paper on China, quantifying both the meteorological and commercial potentials of wind power under China's current wind concession policies.

*********************************************************************

How much were the reduced pollution levels of the Beijing Olympic Games due to policy-driven emission restrictions, and how much due to natural meteorological conditions?

See a new research article, by atmospheric chemists at Harvard and Tsinghua, using observations from the Tsinghua-Harvard field station, for an answer. It is currently in the online review stage of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, available here.

*********************************************************************

The first published study using wage rates to estimate the value of mortality risk in China, conducted by China Project researcher GUO Xiaoqi and Jim Hammitt of the Harvard School of Public Health, appears in the February 2009 issue of Environmental and Resource Economics, click here.

*********************************************************************

More reviews of Clearing the Air, China Project book on the total damages of air pollution, and economy-wide costs and benefits of taxes to control pollutants and CO2, edited by Mun HO and Chris Nielsen:

• "The encouraging -- indeed, politically crucial -- observation is that ... 'green taxes' would yield a double dividend: reducing ... damage while enhancing economic growth. ... [That] should be an offer that a government cannot refuse" -  Anthony J. McMichael, The Lancet (free registration)

• "In contrast to the World Bank report Cost of Pollution in China: economic estimates and physical damages (2007), which caught the attention of the international mainstream mass media ..., this edited volume ... stands as a solemn, solid, and scholarly defence of the same alarming message - air pollution causes significant damage to the Chinese population and economy." ... "Reader-friendly" ... "a methodological breakthrough in the research on the environment-health nexus in China ..." - Fengshi Wu, Asian-Pacific Economic Literature

• "[I]mpressively integrated" ... "The multidisciplinary framework... allows for a total picture to emerge" ... "At a time when Beijing should be considering not only its local pollution problem, but also its global greenhouse gas emissions, [the book's policy] suggestions are a welcome addition to the debate ..." - Sam Geall, Far Eastern Economic Review (June 2008)

• "[Should] appeal to a broad readership. ... The first three chapters ... provide an easily understandable synopsis ... perfect for readers ... or for faculty teaching a broad survey course on China ... This volume is to be commended as a very accessible presentation of an ambitious and thorough research undertaking." - Rober W. Mead, The China Quarterly.

• "[C]omprehensive, timely and policy-relevant ... rigorous ... designed to suit the needs of both non-experts and experts ... potential to become a key reference for scholars and regulators ..." - Xuehong Wang, The China Journal (July 2008)

• "There is no such detailed, comprehensive analysis of this topic. ... a commendable effort." - Vaclav Smil, University of Manitoba, author of China's Environmental Crisis

• "Clearing the Air is essential for anyone seriously interested in China's environment. Well researched and well written, the book documents what is known - and not known - about air pollution damage in China." - Haakon Vennemo, Director, ECON, Norway

• The book at MIT Press or Amazon or Barnes and Noble

• Click here for a description of the study and lead policy conclusion, including how to interpret national damage estimates, such as premature mortality and percent of GDP.

• A new research phase currently underway, integrating the framework of Clearing the Air with the Project's separately-developed capacities in atmospheric science, is described here.

*********************************************************************

"Greening China: Market-Based Policies for Air-Pollution Control," an article in Harvard Magazine, features Project research by Dale Jorgenson, Mun HO, and CAO Jing updating the economics of Clearing the Air (above).

Harvard-Tsinghua atmospheric scientists led by WANG Yuxuan, Mike McElroy, and Bill Munger investigate ozone and carbon monoxide levels in Beijing area in summertime, using high-precision observations from our permanent field station. Click here for the downloadable paper in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.

*********************************************************************

PROJECT INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH AREAS

• Understanding China's Atmosphere: Sources, Transport, and Chemistry

• Measuring Air Pollutants and Trace Gases: Atmospheric Station

• Wind Power Potentials

• Understanding China's Economy and Energy Use

• Clearing the Air: Health and Economic Damages of Air Pollution

• Evaluating GHG and Pollution Control Options: Integrating Economics, Engineering, Atmospheric Science, and Environmental Health

• Urban Transport, Land Use, Air Quality, and Health in Chengdu
  

• Environmental Law, Politics, and Culture

PUBLICATIONS

SEMINARS

PEOPLE

JOINING THE RESEARCH

OFFICES AND CONTACTS

Note: Except for publications, this website observes Chinese name order, placing surnames in all-capitals for clarity.