Quotes from Ma Jun

China is bearing the environmental cost for much of the world because China is the factory of the world.

Environmental agencies in China are hamstrung by local officials who put economic growth ahead of environmental protection; even the courts are beholden to local officials, and they are not open to environmental litigation.

What we aim to do, through public pressure, is help the environment protection bureau to enforce the law.

I tell them the rules are made by the government. Every firm should comply. It doesn't mean they can't compete.

When I look at China's environmental problems, the real barrier is not lack of technology or money. It's lack of motivation.

Environmental groups are not completely against dams. We approve of appropriate development.

There is a growing recognition of the importance of really bringing pollution under control.

No matter how rich you are, you can't get healthy air.

Globalisation has powered economic growth in developing countries such as China. Global logistics, low domestic production costs, and strong consumer demand have let the country develop strong export-based manufacturing, making the country the workshop of the world.

Regulatory failings mean that the cost of breaking the law is far below that of obeying it - businesses are happier to pay fines than to control pollution.

China leads the world in energy consumption, carbon emissions, and the release of major air and water pollutants, and the environmental impact is felt both regionally and globally.

China's energy is very much focused on coal, and the economy is very focused on heavy industry, which is carbon intensive, so restructuring won't be easy.

While cheap products are exported to western countries, the waste is dumped mostly in China's back yard, contaminating its air, water, soil and seas.

If you publish something in traditional media, it's one-way. With social media, we get all this info coming back from those who read our posts.

Everyone else has some interest in economic growth and development, which often happens at the expense of the environment and community. We need the other side to join this to check and balance.

I hope to see an integrated solution created to deal with both the local pollution problem and the global climate change problem.

Environmental problems cannot be resolved here the way they are resolved in other countries. I heard that 80 per cent of the environmental problems in the U.S. are solved in court. That can't happen here.

China's environmental conundrums will not be solved by changes within government alone. New mechanisms are needed to allow the communities which may be affected by a given plan, and citizens concerned about the environment, to join in.

People realised this is real pollution; it is not fog. Now everyone has to face the data and come out of their comfort zone.

Ever since we published the first Apple report, we've had some other brands turning more proactive.

We haven't seen the turning point yet, but we're sticking to our bottom line, for the environment and the health of the country.

The situation is quite serious - groundwater is important source for water use, including drinking water, and if it gets contaminated, it's very costly and difficult to clean.

They pollute. It's not because morally they have a problem, but more because the mechanism now is rewarding those who cut corners to save cost.

Multinationals are more sensitive to public pressure because they have bigger brand names, and they have made commitments to be environmentally sensitive. Chinese firms are not used to this kind of pressure yet.