From BBC site:
The man in charge of protecting China's environment has warned that pollution and the demand for resources threaten to choke economic growth.
Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian said conflict between development and nature had never been so serious.
He said if China meant to quadruple the size of its economy over 20 years without more damage, it would have to become more efficient in resource use.
Otherwise, he said, there would be a painful price to pay.
…
"In China's thousands of years of civilisation, the conflict between humanity and nature Zhou Shengxianhas never been as serious as it is today," he wrote.
"The depletion, deterioration and exhaustion of resources and the deterioration of the environment have become serious bottlenecks constraining economic and social development."
China, he said, would suffer unless issues of air and water pollution were prioritised.
China pollution 'threatens growth'
Even if you live far from China, don't think this won't have ramifications for you. This year, drought in east China may lead to higher world food prices; have a look at Middle East at present for ideas re what poor n hungry people can do.