World's Biggest Problems

1.       There is a rapidly aging population in China.

There is an unequal proportion of elderly citizens in China. This is mostly due to the strict one-child policy that was introduced in 1979. There is currently over 10% of the population in China that contain elderly residents. As a result, China will quickly become one of the major economies that will contain a strain on the working-class who will have to pay for the elderly. One solution could be to welcome migration in and out of the country to balance out the age difference.

2.       There is an unfortunate gender imbalance in China.

This gender imbalance is due to the overall social preference for male children. Ever since the one-child policy, China has favored male children because the male in the family are the ones that are able to pass down the family name. As a result, there will be a rise of unmarried male populations. Unfortunately, the gender imbalance does not seem to have improved. One solution could be to have a more social acceptance of girls in China, whether there be an incentive or not.

3.       China’s air pollution is far worse than thought.

Even though the Chinese government has set up a nationwide network of pollution sensors, there is still a high rating of air pollution that is in the environment. There have been times where schools, traffic and construction were closed down due to the choking smog. Since China is the world’s largest coal producer, coal is largely to blame for the degradation of air quality. One solution could be to install better/ more efficient outputs of power that doesn’t emit as much pollution.

4.       There is a water shortage in China.

Specifically in Northern China, the supply of water is depleting. This is due to the fact that China’s water resources are not distributed equally. More than half of the percentage of China’s water resources are used in agriculture. A proportion of the rest is used for coal production.  Since the demand for water is outstripping supply, the water shortage is becoming a major problem. One solution could be to install filtration in main water systems across China.

5.       There has been a dependence on fossil fuels, not only in China but around the world.

Particularly in China, the rapid growth of the economy leads to a high dependence on fossil fuels. This is because China has become the world’s largest importer of fossil fuels. Not only is there a dependence on coal in China, but there is also a need for oil and natural gas. China’s economy is becoming more exposed to price fluctuations on the global energy market due to the fossil fuel dominated energy structure. One solution could be to find other means of reusable energy.

6.       China’s rapid urbanization provide strains on the economy.

Rapidly urbanizing countries, such as China, provide challenges that impact its society. For example, the energy usage will be increasing because urban residents use more energy than rural residents use. Additionally, urban sprawl will need to be contained because there needs to be enough area for agriculture in the country. One solution could be to section off areas just for agriculture.

7.       There is an income inequality for residents in China.

As stated previously there is rapid urbanization happening in China (Problem #6). As a result, the urban areas are experiencing a steep increase in inequality that takes up more than half of the income allocation. The gap between urban and rural areas is gradually increasing. This threatens the stability of China’s equality. One solution could be to fix the urbanization gap first before issuing any monetary changes.

8.       The overall deforestation and desertification in Asia is a main issue we face today.

Over 50% of Southeast Asia’s land/ forestry has been destroyed at an unimaginable size and speed. The loss of land has been due to exploitation and profit for resources. Across Asia, there were many farmers that have neglected to tend and are for their soil and plot of land which led to an increase of the toxicity in the soil. One solution could be to section off an area just for agriculture or forestry (see Problem #6).

9.       There is eroding trust in government leadership in China.

Corruption is engraved deep within many Asian countries like China. This corruption continues to degrade public trust and there is a lack of accountability in the government. Stable institutions are critical in maintaining the growth in Asia. With the rise of anti-corruption movements in India, the failure to help solve these issues will create social instability. One solution could be to find leaders who actually start to make changes for the people.

10.   There are environmental concerns in China: acid rain, polluted drinking water, and hazardous waste.

Much of China has unfortunately been targeted by acid rain making nearly half of the rivers polluted. As a result, the drinking water in China is slowly getting contaminated and many citizens have started drinking the toxic water. Public health is at risk with the addition of hazardous waste in the environment. One solution could be to install filtration across the country.