China, has been dubbed "the polluting superpower" by some. In some regards, this is true, due to the shear size of its population of 1.3 billion. This equates to more than a fifth of the world's population, crammed into an area about the same size as the US, with only 8%of the world's fresh water supply. Add to this, China's average annual rate of industrial development of about 10% per year, and you have an equation for a polluting superpower.

Any one who has been in China, during the summer months, has most likely experienced the fool odors of untreated sewage from a nearby waterway. Even in some of China's most touted tourist cities, like Hangzhou, this is true. It's no wonder, since of the 60 billion tons of waste water and 50 billion tons of sewage that are discharged yearly in China only a fraction of it is treated. According to the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), nearly half of China's river systems are polluted In most Chinese industrial cities, the airborne concentrations of dust and suspended particulate matter usually exceed environmental standards by several hundred percent.

According to the World Bank, at least half of the world's most polluted cities are located in China. Environmental problems are costing China about 3% of its GDP or about US$60 billion a year. Now, China is realizing the tremendous amount of pressure that is being exerted on its environment and natural resources.