Introduction
Dealing with ethical issues is a challenge for different countries because their analysis of the issue and goals are different. Therefore, evaluating the varying approaches creates an opportunity to learn which approach works and which steps do not work. For instance, pollution is an ethical issue relevant to the world today. The discussions surrounding this issue range from a local standpoint to a national and global extent. Consequently, solutions to the problem are implemented on all three levels to varying capacity. Scholars in this field are open to the challenges that each country faces and the effort they put in to address pollution. The differences in response are especially notable between the United States and China which are the leading industrialized countries in the world. Thus, it is important to research and understand pollution as an ethical issue and how both countries address it in order to understand the disparity between both nations and what methods actually work.
Pollution Overview
Pollution is an ethical issue because it is a threat to the sustainability of humankind. Pollution occurs when harmful substances are introduced to water, air, and soil and thus make it harmful for human consumption. According to recent studies, pollution is the cause of an estimated 9 million deaths annually ( Cohen et al., 2017) . In fact, the financial implications of pollution amount to trillions of dollars every year. Air, water, and soil pollutions are responsible for the ailments that kill one in every six people. Notably, these statistics are estimated because scientists agree that the impact of pollution is not fully understood or quantified. The research and study of pollution are ongoing and more links between pollution and ill health are discovered on a daily basis. However, in the last decade, the efforts to eradicate pollution have identified possibilities to defeat this existential human crisis.
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United State and China Pollution Overview
In the United States, the impact of pollution is just as devastating as the global environment. The recent ‘State of Air’ report by the American Lung Association identified that 125million Americans live in areas of unhealthy ozone of particulate pollution. In this report, it is evident that air pollution is leading while water and soil pollution in America follow closely. In 2017, the leading causes of pollution in the United States were temperature inversions and wildfires caused by drought. While the latter increased toxic particles in the air, temperature inversions trapped these particles in the air causing more harm to the population. According to scientists, the government can save 12,000 US lives by cutting down on the particulates in the air ( Rohde, & Muller, 2015) . Therefore, there is a united effort between the government, scientists, and the American citizens to finds a solution to the pollution problem that affects individuals from all demographics and geographical areas.
On the other hand, China is also dealing with increased levels of pollution due to rapid industrialization. Similar to America, China faces higher levels of air pollution compared to water and soil pollution. In China, economic growth has continuously taken priority over health concerns. Consequently, as the country expanded its industries and consumed more energy and raw materials to create jobs for their citizens, they ignored the pollution concerns and put their environment near a point of no return. In fact, pollution in China caused the death of 1.1 million citizens in 2015 which is the highest number recorded for any country. Finding a solution to the problem may mean undoing some of the decisions made for economic growth. For instance, they may need to close down many steel power-plants and take on a different mentality that favors health over wealth.
Notably, both the United States and China are making deliberate efforts to address the ethical concerns around pollution. However, their approaches are both similar and different. For example:
Comparison between USA and China approach to Pollution
Both the United State and China protect their environment through constitutional policies. In the United States Constitution, the most impactful policy is the Clean Air Act purposed to tackle air pollution. It is often described as the most comprehensive quality air laws in the world. Another environmental law that addresses pollution in the United States is the Code of Federal Regulations that elaborates the regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The main role of this organization is writing and enforcing policies that protect human health and the environment. Similarly, China has extensive laws addressing environmental concerns since 1978. Their constitution features the Environmental Protection Law as one of their basic codes. Over the years, China has also enacted statutes for environmental protection concerning areas such as water pollution, oceans, forests, grasslands, urban planning, toxins, and noise. Also, in 2013, they enforced and Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution which is effective today ( Schnelle, Dunn, & Ternes, 2015) . Consequently, both nations have written laws and statutes that protect the environment and limit acts that may lead to pollution.
Additionally, both countries demand an environmental impact review for the establishment, expansion or renovation of business premises. In the United States, the review is executed by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This act ensures that environmental impacts are weighed extensively in the decision for federal agencies to start a project. It requires that federal agencies prepare an environmental impact statement that guarantees human health and the environment are protected in the venture. Notably, NEPA does not cover the necessary action in case there is an absence of federal funding. On the other hand, China has the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) law that is cosmetically similar to that of the United States. The EIA covers both government and private venture. Similar to the USA act, EIA demand mitigation which in China is a reference to equipment to control industrial pollution. While the EPA enforces the NEPA act in America, the local environmental protection bureau in China receives and investigates all claims made in the EIA. Consequently, both governments delegate the responsibility of environmental impact reviews to national agencies.
Contrasts between the USA and China approach to pollution
The immediate difference between the United States and China is the implementation of environmental laws. While the United States is very strict on following through on laws and statutes, China is not as intense. For example, since the enforcement of the Clean Air Act, the United States has seen air pollution has reduced by over 10% ( Huo et al., 2015) . As a result, scientists now believe that pollution and its effects can be tackled. The Clean Air Act alone allowed pollution affected workers to work more and increase their annual earnings by 1%. These statistics are proof that the EPA is actively working to implement government policies geared towards eliminating pollution. On the contrary, China is not as effective in implementation. Unlike the US, the laws do not have citizen suit provisions and thus the general public has no power to confront companies that pollute their environment and make them sick. The Chines government has clearly set economic gain over the environmental well-being and thus is not too keen on enforcing the laws.
The level of environmental litigation in the United States and China also differs. The United States is very advanced. First, the environmental impact reviews are released to the public. Therefore, if there are any concerns from NGOs or the citizens there is evidence to support them. Such information comes in handy during the litigation process in a courtroom setting. The experience in China is very different. For instance, environmental review impacts are treated business essentials and are not made public. Consequently, there is minimal evidence for NGOs and citizens. Notably, the court system in the one-party state is in infancy as well as the concept of NGOs. In fact, they are not taken seriously and their work is often dismissed. As a result, the government and business owners are at liberty to ignore public concerns on environmental issues because there are no consequences for their actions. It is this difference in litigation between the US and China that reflects the varying levels of pollution that they are both tacklings.
Also, despite the fact that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) serve similar purposes, there are some differences in their implementation to reduce pollution. First, NEPA requires alternative dispute resolutions in matters of environmental law while EIA in China does not require these alternatives ( El-Halwagi, 2017) . This means that environmental issues in America can be reviewed and resolved through negotiation, mediation, conciliation or arbitration where community leaders, concerned citizens and the organization in question can debate. As a result, there are many parties that are involved in environmental accountability. However, China limits litigations are limited to courtrooms which are not effective in implementation or hearing environmental issues impartially. While America demands a public hearing with public comments, China limits public participation to only those affected by the project. Additionally, sections of the EIA are kept private and confidential and thus there is no proof as to how effectively the environmental assessments are done. As a result of transparency in the United States, more organizations are environmentally cautious as opposed to China where environment polluters can get away with their crimes.
In my opinion, the United States of America is leading in the fight against environmental pollution. It is clear that their policies, government, and implementation strategies are effective in reducing pollution. They have creates a system where all Americans have the capacity to hold large organizations and projects accountable for pollution. Therefore, they have empowered all communities in a united effort to improve the circumstances they live in. Notably, the journey towards a clean environment continues. The United States has to update their policies to confront arising issues that affect their environment. For instance, they should accommodate new technology to reduce air pollution in all industries. On the other hand, China needs to learn from what the United States has accomplished in the last few years. It is admirable that their mindset towards a better environment is changing. However, they must learn to effectively implement their policies if they want to undo the damage caused by radical industrialization. Also, they must realize that it is a united effort from the organizations, the government, non-governmental organizations and their citizens. Therefore, the process should take a transparency approach.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that America and China have different approaches towards pollution which is a common ethical issue between both countries. Evidently, the difference in their approach is because both countries are at varying levels of development. Also, the United States prioritized the environment because they value human health but China focused on economic growth and thus did not protect their environment. For this reason, the former enjoys a healthier state of environment compared to China. There is still hope for China and other countries facing the same challenge because America is an example of a nation that is slowly rehabilitating its environment. Thus, pollution is an ethical issue that can be addressed if the government dedicates its efforts and involves its citizens in the growth.
References
Schnelle Jr, K. B., Dunn, R. F., & Ternes, M. E. (2015). Air pollution control technology handbook : CRC press.
El-Halwagi, M. M. (2017). Sustainable design through process integration: fundamentals and applications to industrial pollution prevention, resource conservation, and profitability enhancement : Butterworth-Heinemann.
Huo, H., Cai, H., Zhang, Q., Liu, F., & He, K. (2015). Life-cycle assessment of greenhouse gas and air emissions of electric vehicles: A comparison between China and the US: Atmospheric Environment .
Rohde, R. A., & Muller, R. A. (2015). Air pollution in China: mapping of concentrations and sources: PloS one , 10 (8), e0135749.
Cohen, A. J., Brauer, M., Burnett, R., Anderson, H. R., Frostad, J., Estep, K., & Feigin, V. (2017). Estimates and 25-year trends of the global burden of disease attributable to ambient air pollution: an analysis of data from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2015 The Lancet .
Wei, X., Gao, B., Wang, P., Zhou, H., & Lu, J. (2015). Pollution characteristics and health risk assessment of heavy metals in street dusts from different functional areas in Beijing, China: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety .
