『(Abstract)
Environmental risk factors, especially air and water pollution,
are a major source of morbidity and mortality in China. Biomass
fuel and coal are burned for cooking and heating in almost all
rural and many urban households, resulting in severe indoor air
pollution that contributes greatly to the burden of disease. Many
communities lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation,
and thus the risk of waterborne disease in many regions is high.
At the same time, China is rapidly industrialising with associated
increases in energy use and industrial waste. Although economic
growth from industrialisation has improved health and quality
of life indicators, it has also increased the release of chemical
toxins into the environment and the rate of environmental disasters,
with severe effects on health. Air quality in China's cities is
among the worst in the world, and industrial water pollution has
become a widespread health hazard. Moreover, emissions of climate-warming
greenhouse gases from energy use are rapidly increasing. Global
climate change will inevitably intensify China's environmental
health troubles, with potentially catastrophic outcomes from major
shifts in temperature and precipitation. Facing the overlap of
traditional, modern, and emerging environmental dilemmas, China
has committed substantial resources to environmental improvement.
The country has the opportunity to address its national environmental
health challenges and to assume a central role in the international
effort to improve the global environment.』
Introduction
Environmental risks
Air pollution
Water pollution
Improvement of environmental health policies in China
Acknowledgments
References