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Thursday, 21 January 2010

Concern for the environment within China will lead to a different development model from that of the unstoppable economic expansion that has characterised the past three decades, and Australia will be one of the major beneficiaries, according to Economics Professor Yanrui Wu.

The China expert, from The University of Western Australia's Business School, is the recipient of an Australian Research Council Discovery grant of more than $350,000 for his three-year undertaking to examine energy efficiency, economic growth and the environment in China.

Professor Wu believes not only China itself but also Australia and the international community will benefit from China's determination to tackle its major environmental problems including lake-water pollution threatening humans' drinking water; increased desertification; and poor air quality that also endangers human life.

"The policy-makers are keen to improve energy efficiency by, for instance, using more of Australia's liquified natural gas (LNG), and adopting coal-wash technology," Professor Wu said.

"Australian companies, particularly those supplying solar, wind power, emission-reduction and coal-wash technologies, are already seeing high demand for their services in China, where solar panels are widely used in many cities," he said.

"As China's demand for raw commodities from Australia declines, there will be an increase in more diverse and value-added trade, perhaps in which Australia steps forward as a service provider of, for example, banking, information technology and finance."

Professor Wu said the 2010 World Expo to be held in Shanghai from May to October, with its theme ‘Better City, Better Life', will showcase many of the green technologies China has already adopted from Australia and will demonstrate China's determination for Sino-Australian cooperation on climate change.

Professor Wu, the project leader, will collaborate with Professor Dora Marinova of Curtin University of Technology.

Media references

Professor Yanrui Wu (+61 8)  6488 3964
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716

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