Following the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, COP21 supporters seem optimistic about China’s emissions. The U.S. and China agreed to ratify the Paris Climate Agreement and sent a strong signal to other countries about their commitment to reform. Under the agreement, China must reach three concrete goals by 2030: 1) reduce carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65% (compared 2005 levels); 2) reach its peak…
While it is common for Chinese citizens to find the sky covered in hazy smog, in the week leading up to G20, the skies were a crystal-clear blue. China’s white clouds and blue skies caused by the shuttering of manufacturing companies are a rare sight that has grown to synonymous with country’s most important conferences. The skies show the incredible power of the government to cease operations wit…
iPad to Gold? ThinkPad to Silver? Huawei to Bronze? That is the hope of the Japanese Olympic committee, taking waste electronics and transforming them into one of sports ultimate prizes. The country has long been a leader in the area of material recovery with advanced extended producer responsibility policies and an early focus on engaging consumers in collection schemes. As an island with l…
While some might consider a tradeoff between a country's economic development and the resulting socio-environmental burdens to be "justifiable," China has reached the tipping point at which the air crisis is significantly impacting economic development as well. The well-being of China's market is beginning to suffer, with stakeholders reluctant to engage with a country in the middle of an emiss…
While the rest of the world debates the impact of carbon emissions and the need to create binding agreements, China’s battle with air pollution has grown tangible enough to effectively catalyze stakeholders into action. With only six of China’s cities meeting the second tier of the National Environmental Air Quality Standards (NEAQS) in 2015, air pollution has become one of the biggest challenges…
Dormant - People who do not possess a smartphone or smartphone-like technology (e.g. iPad) and have no interest and/or ability to acquire. There are many reasons why elderly do not adopt new technologies, or in other words, are "dormant." However, the voices of the elderly in China often go unheard on the topic of technology. With this in mind, over the last few weeks, Collective has bee…
Someone has to get the ball rolling. Any and all progressive change requires intentional action from human beings, especially in terms of maximizing efficiency and sustainability in your firm’s operations. Now is no time to be passive, and this is the exact value of the sustainability ambassador — inspired individuals at all levels of leadership and influence who can pioneer your firm’s futur…
China’s elderly population, as discussed in our previous blog post, has far-reaching social, economic, and political implications that have and will continue to shape key areas of Chinese society. The phenomenon of population aging is not unique to China. Economic development is commonly linked to a drop in fertility rates and rise in working age. But the pace at which it aging has occurred in Chi…
None can deny the critical importance of China’s market to global corporations and their leadership. With a population of over 1 billion consumers, China has become a proving ground for CEOs, an integral influencer in the international stock market, and the country where corporations learn to prototype innovate products for a massive, diverse base of customers and clients. Above all, China's hi…
After its astronomical rise to the world’s largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) over the last 35 years, the Chinese economy is experiencing a major transition from a manufacturing-based to a service-based economy. In 2015, the tertiary sector climbed to 50.5% of total gross domestic product (GDP) while industry continued to fall to 40.5% of total GDP. While this economic trans…
In our efforts to further explore China’s elderly challenge, we launched a WeChat survey over the last week. We received a total of 167 responses, with a generally even split between the two genders (54% female and 46% male). The survey was delivered in Chinese, and as such all respondents are either ethnically Chinese or have at least an intimate understanding of the language and culture. Re…
PM2.5 are fine particles of air pollution smaller than 2.5 micrometers — small enough that they can pass through our body’s filters and enter our lungs and cells. In fact, PM2.5 pollutants can be touched, tasted, and obviously seen whenever you look out the window at a Shanghai skyline or a Beijing avenue. Smog and urbanization go hand-in-hand around the world, and China is certainly no exception.…
In an historical decision last week that shook the world, the United Kingdom voted through referendum to "Brexit", or leave the European Union, giving rise to numerous political, economic, and social implications. The social implications were already visible on a personal level over the weekend, as many people living in the UK — particularly ethnic minorities and foreign workers — have experienced…
Migrant workers. We see them across the city, working the hard jobs on the street, studying for university degrees, and earning wages to support themselves and others. They are domestic migrants, traveling to urban Chinese centers of opportunity from rural hometowns in hope and pursuit of a better life – for themselves and their families. Considering the political turmoil and societal hesitati…
Resting at the forefront of nearly any discussion relating to the future of China’s rapidly developing economy is its rising urban population, with over 1 billion residents living in China’s cities by 2030. Since China has already established itself as the world’s largest waste-generator, rising levels of output due to increasing levels of affluence, consumption, and population stimulate many ques…
