Kina - Industrial Ecology in China

China?s rapid development has made China one of the world?s most important economic powers and has increased wealth, employment, and business opportunities inside China. At the same time, Chinese economic development has caused resource depletion, environ mental degradation, and a rapidly changing social structure. Due to China?s immense size, these negative effects also have consequences at the global level. A clear challenge for China is to continue to improve living standards without jeopardizing China? s resource base, environmental quality, and social peace. The overall objective of this project is to initiate research with Chinese colleagues on aspects of China?s development using the tools of Industrial Ecology. We plan to investigate three main ar eas: 1. An analysis of the dynamic material flows and integrated waste management in construction and demolition of the built environment inside China. 2. The application of hybrid life cycle assessment to energy systems in China with particular emphasis on environmental and economic implications. 3. A study of the international dimension of China?s environmental impacts and how to handle this optimally in global climate change policy.