以下是环境科技处所关注的一些主要主题/问题列表：

亚洲及其他地区的空气质量
管理空气质量是亚洲许多城市面临的共同挑战。许多地方正想方设法来达到清洁空气标准。比较一下下面城市当前的空气质量情况。关于各种污染物有碍健康的更多信息可从美国环境保护署（EPA）的AirNow网站获得。污染物测量因城市而异，但最常见的是臭氧（O3），可吸入的粗颗粒（PM10），细颗粒（PM2.5），一氧化碳（CO），二氧化硫（SO2）以及氮氧化物（NOx）。美国有几个城市难以达到美国EPA的空气质量标准。臭氧和PM2.5是常见的罪魁祸首。
虽然暴露在PM2.5已被确定比暴露在PM10有更严重的健康风险，但许多国家尚未规定监测PM2.5。美国EPA的24小时限值内的PM2.5标准为35微克/立方米（μg/ m3）。世界卫生组织在2005年将其PM2.5标准降低到年平均值为10微克/立方米，日平均值为25微克/立方米。
以下的链接可以查到各亚洲城市以及其他大城市的空气质量数据，其中一些城市长期存在空气污染问题。许多国家尚未针对PM2.5提出报告。请注意，一些城市提供的是每日平均值，而其他城市则提供接近实时的每小时数据。以下是一些在运动时，如何尽量减少暴露污染的提示，即使您无法访问实时数据，这些提示也很有用。
空气污染颗粒物数据
PM10 – 可吸入的粗颗粒         PM2.5 – 可吸入的细颗粒
美国大使馆北京空气质量监测仪
空气质量信息的其他资源
PM2.5对健康影响的研究
在污染的空气中运动

中国是世界上最大的能源消费国和世界上最大的二氧化碳排放国，大于美国和欧盟的总和。煤是中国能源供应的主要来源，中国的消耗量是了全球年产量的一半。然而，中国也继续在可再生能源发展方面取得长足进展。中国的风力和太阳能发电能力约为美国的两倍，并承诺到2030年所有能源供应的20％将来自可再生能源。
在可再生能源、清洁化石燃料技术、温室气体减排和清洁能源发电等领域，中国在加快实施和部署清洁能源技术中扮演关键角色。
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所有链接仅供参考，并不一定反映美国政府的意见和看法。

中国有丰富的生物多样性，拥有的自然森林和湿地资源一直相当丰厚。然而，中国的快速经济发展日益加大了对有限资源的压力，这是因为国内市场和工业的出口加工都增加了资源的耗费。美国林务局（USFS），美国环境保护署（EPA）和美国鱼类和野生动物管理局（FWS）是美国政府的技术部门的一环，与中国同级别部门，就有关可持续管理这些资源进行积极交流。中国是来源不法的野生动物产品的最大目的地国，其中包括象牙，穿山甲和许多其他产品；通过改变消费者态度来减少需求，是推广反对野生动物贩运，不可或缺的一步。
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所有链接仅供参考，并不一定反映美国政府的意见和看法。

在与美国疾病预防控制中心（CDC），国家卫生研究院（NIH）和美国国际开发署（USAID）的协调下，北京大使馆的环境、科技与卫生处（ESTH）与卫生和人力资源专员密切合作，与中国共同努力改善公共卫生，并解决地方区域传染病问题如流感，艾滋病毒/艾滋病和其他新型传染病。美国疾病预防控制中心的全球艾滋病计划（GAP）官员与他们在中国疾病控制中心的同级别部门，合作进行与传染病相关的生物医学研究。在禽流感暴发地区，美国疾病预防控制中心，美国对外农业服务局，和美国动植物卫生检验局（APHIS）与中国当局密切合作，处理人体健康和动物健康方面的问题。
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所有链接仅供参考，并不一定反映美国政府的意见和看法。

中国正雄心勃勃的扩张核电，计划建设40至60千兆瓦的发电能力，目前在建设和规划阶段中的核电厂有22个。中国目前是全球核电发电量的第四大国，但预计到2032年将超过美国，作为世界上拥有最多核电量的国家。为了实现其目标，中国将在2020年之前每年启动四到五个新反应堆。到2040年之间的全球核电增长量，中国预计将占的一半以上。
美国和中国依据两项协议进行核项目合作：1985年签署的和平利用核能协定（PUNE），该协定涵盖核电和燃料循环领域的合作和技术转让，以及于1998年由美国能源部（DOE）和中国国家发展和改革委员会的前身—国家计划委员会，所签署的和平利用核技术合作（PUNT），这项协定则更广泛地涉及核技术、出口管制、核与放射安全和安保，和放射性废物管理等方面的合作。
美国能源信息管理局：世界核统计
能源部：美国中国能源合作
所有链接仅供参考，并不一定反映美国政府的意见和看法。

根据美国环境保护署（EPA）和中国国家环境保护局（SEPA） – 亦即现在的环境保护部（MEP）在2003年所签订的谅解备忘录，建立了一个合作框架，来预防和管理空气和水污染、危险废物、持久性有机污染物（POPs）和其他有毒物质（如汞）造成的污染。
中国污染水平的上升与其快速的经济增长相吻合。中国长期以来认为空气污染是一个严重的问题。使馆的环境、科技与卫生处（EHTS）协助促进美国环境保护署、美国能源部（DOE）和美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）与中国境内同级别机构在空气污染问题的各个层面的合作。
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所有链接仅供参考，并不一定反映美国政府的意见和看法。

中国面临着严重的水源危机，许多城市长期经历着水资源短缺，大部分地区也出现了严重的水质问题。超过60％的地表水被认为不适合与人体接触，而40％的地下水无法安全饮用。极端天气和快速的城市发展都在增加供水压力与洪水的威胁。
按目前的消费速度，中国对水资源的需求将在2030年（2030年水资源集团 Water Resource Group）超过供应。北方省份（占中国人口三分之一和最大农业生产地）的地下水源已几乎被抽干。因此政府建立了一个价值790亿美元的“南北水资源转移”项目，每年从中国南方的长江将水往北导引。现在北京自来水的70％来自南方。 2016年底，中国国家发展和改革委员会公布了水利效率目标，消费上限，都市分层定价以及农业和工业配额。缺水可能会扼制中国的经济，影响采矿，能源炼制，制造业和农业部门。
更多相关链接：
所有链接仅供参考，并不一定反映美国政府的意见和看法。

Below is a list of the key Topics/Issues that the Embassy’s Environment, Science, Technology and Health (ESTH) Section follows:
Managing air quality is a common challenge shared by many cities in Asia.  Many are struggling to meet clean air standards. Compare current air quality conditions at the cities below. More information on the health impacts of various pollutants is available from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at AirNow.  Pollutants measured vary from city to city, but the most common are ozone (O3), inhalable coarse particles (PM10), fine particles (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx).   Several U.S. cities have difficulty achieving compliance with U.S. EPA Air Quality Standards. Ozone and PM2.5 are common culprits.
Although PM2.5 exposure has been identified as a more serious health risk than PM10, many countries have not yet mandated PM2.5 monitoring.  The US EPA’s PM2.5 standard for 24-hour limits is 35 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3).   The World Health Organization lowered its PM2.5 guidelines in 2005 to an annual mean of 10 µg/cubic meter and a daily mean of 25 µg/m3.
Below are links to air quality data for particulates in various Asian cities, as well as other large cities, some with histories of air pollution issues.  Many countries do not yet report PM2.5. Notice that some cities provide daily averages, while others provide near-real time hourly data.  Here are some tips on minimizing pollution exposure while exercising, which are useful even if you don’t have access to real time data.Particulate Air Pollution Data
PM10  – inhalable coarse particles     PM2.5 – inhalable fine particles
U.S. Embassy Beijing Air Quality Monitor 
 
Other resources for air quality information 
Studies on health effects of PM2.5 
Exercising in Polluted Air 
China is the world’s largest energy consumer and the world’s largest emitter of CO2, greater than that of the US and EU combined. It consumes half the world’s annual production of coal which accounts for the majority of its energy supply. However, China continues to make great strides in renewable energy development. China has approximately twice the wind and solar capacity of the US and has committed to sourcing 20% of the country’s energy consumption from renewable energy by 2030.China is a critical player in initiatives to accelerate the implementation and deployment of clean energy technologies in areas such as renewable energy, cleaner fossil fuel technologies, greenhouse gas reductions and cleaner power generation.
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All links are for informational purposes and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the U.S. government.
China is rich in biodiversity and historically has had a natural abundance of forest and wetlands resources.  However, China’s rapid economic development has placed pressure on increasingly limited resources, due to greater consumption by the domestic market, as well as for use by industries in processing goods for export.   The United States Forest Service (USFS), United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are among the many U.S. technical agencies who have taken part in active exchanges with Chinese government counterparts related to sustainable management of these resources.  China is the largest destination country for illegally sourced wildlife products, including elephant ivory, pangolins, and many other products, and demand reduction by changing consumer attitudes is an integral part of the anti-wildlife trafficking campaign.
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Embassy Beijing’s ESTH section works closely with the Health and Human Services Attaché in coordination with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to work with China in its to improve public health and address local regional infectious diseases such as influenza,  HIV/AIDS and other emerging infectious diseases.  The U.S. CDC Global AIDS Program (GAP) officers work collaboratively with their China CDC counterparts in infectious disease-related biomedical research.  In the Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) area, the U.S. CDC, U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service, and U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) work closely with Chinese authorities on both the human health and animal health aspects of the issue.
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China is in the midst of an ambitious nuclear power expansion, intent on building 40 to 60 gigawatts of electrical generation capacity and currently has 22 nuclear power plants under various phases of construction and planning. China is currently fourth in the world in terms of electricity generated by nuclear power but is projected to surpass the U.S. by 2032, as the country with the most nuclear power capacity in the world. To make its goal, China will have to start four to five new reactors a year through 2020. China is expected to account for more than half of the world’s growth in nuclear power through 2040.
The United States and China cooperate on nuclear projects under the umbrella of two agreements: The Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (PUNE) agreement, signed in 1985, which covers cooperation and technology transfers in the nuclear power and fuel cycle areas, and Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology (PUNT), signed in 1998 by the United States Department of Energy and China’s National Development and Reform Commission’s predecessor, the State Planning Commission, that more broadly covers cooperation in nuclear technology and export control, nuclear and radiological safety and security, and radioactive waste management.
U.S. Energy Information Administration: World Nuclear Statistics
Department of Energy: U.S. China Energy Collaboration
All links are for informational purposes and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the U.S. government.
Under the 2003 Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and China’s State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA)—now Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), a framework was created for collaboration in the prevention and management of air and water pollution, hazardous waste, pollution from persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other toxic substances such as mercury.
The rise in pollution levels in China coincides with its rapid economic growth.  China has long recognized air pollution as a serious problem.  The ESTH section helps facilitate collaboration between the EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with counterpart agencies within China on different aspects of the air pollution issue.
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China is facing a major water crisis, with many cities experiencing chronic water shortages, and most areas of the country having significant water quality problems.  More than 60% of surface water is deemed unfit for human contact, while 40% of groundwater is unsafe to drink. Extreme weather events and rapid urban development both strain water supplies and increase the threat of floods.
At current rates of consumption, China’s demand for water resources will overtake its supply by 2030 (2030 Water Resource Group). Already, the Northern provinces—which hold one-third of China’s population and its top agricultural producers—have critically drawn down their groundwater reserves. In response, the government built a $79 billion South-North Water Transfer Project to divert water per year from the Yangtze River in southern China to the north. Now 70% of Beijing’s tap water comes from the south. In late 2016, the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission announced water efficiency targets, consumption caps, tiered pricing for urban areas, and quotas for agriculture and industry. Water shortages would stifle China’s economy—affecting the mining, energy refining, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors.
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