Books
Thursday, 22 July 2010 10:07
Written by Aelred Doyle

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When a Billion Chinese Jump (reviewed here) looks at the lengthy list of nightmarish environmental crises both ongoing and pending in China. Author Jonathan Watts talked to us about his book and the conclusions writing it led him to.

Why did the extinction of the baiji hit you particularly hard, compared with the many other things you saw on your travels?
Two things hit me about this story. First, the time scale. It is not often you get to write what was effectively an obituary for a species that has been on earth for more than twice as long as humans. This was a once-in-20-million-year event.

Second, it impressed on me that environmental and conservation measures can come too late. I had previously believed that once mankind gets its act together and focuses money and intelligence on a problem, then we can find a solution. But in the case of the baiji, the world assembled an A-Team of scientists, technology, government backing and corporate sponsorship, yet it was in vain because they couldn't find any baiji left to save. This shook me out of complacency.

Do you think your book has a chance to make a difference? And is it going to be translated into Chinese?
I hope my book is part of a growing discussion about the need for mankind to move away from the current unsustainable model of economic growth. It will be translated into traditional Chinese by Commonwealth in Taiwan. I would be delighted if there is also a simplified version on the mainland but nothing is fixed.
 
Did writing this book make you more or less positive about China’s future? How did it change your ideas about the country in general?
It made me more sympathetic to China's predicament and pessimistic about mankind's future. I believe China is rising on the back of a declining and unsustainable model of development. The country is desperately trying to reinvent itself as a low-carbon economy, but signs of environmental stress - worsening droughts, pollution, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, etc - suggest time is not on its side.
 
You see China as the climax of a period of industrialization that began in Britain 200 years ago. What do you think the developed world can do to help China overcome its – the world’s – environmental problems?
There needs to be greater international cooperation on environmental policy making. Wealthier nations and regions should pay ecological compensation/bills to poorer countries and regions for environmental services such as forest conservation, wetland preservation and biodiversity protection. An international mechanism should be established to share technology that helps to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. These are essentially the measures discussed at Copenhagen and other climate talks.  Similar issues will also be discussed at a Nagoya biodiversity conference later this year.

What do you think of the critical reception of the book so far?
I have been very pleased. The level of interest is beyond my expectations.

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