NH: Your book highlights China’s general environmental problems, but also has a keen eye for some of their ironies, such as the huge farm for alligators which can’t be released back into the Yangtze. Can you tell us more about that story?<\/strong><\/p>\nSG: The Chinese Alligator is one of the most threatened species in China. According to the latest studies, it is estimated there are only 120 individuals left in the wild. Most have disappeared as their natural habitat, wetlands, have been reclaimed for new developments. They have also suffered as a result of poaching.<\/p>\n
The Anhui Research Centre for Alligator Reproduction, in the city of Xuancheng in eastern Anhui Province, has been set up for captive breeding of this species. There are now 10,000 individuals in the centre. It has proved quite successful. The problem is that reintroduction into the wild is very difficult – much of the alligator’s natural habitat in the region has been completely destroyed.<\/p>\n
NH: Have there been environmental stories in China you wanted to cover but been unable to?<\/strong><\/p>\nSG: I would have liked to have covered the issue of ‘cancer villages’, especially those affected by water pollution. This is a very sensitive issue in China, so it is hard to get access to the communities most affected. A number of Chinese photojournalists have been able to get access however, so the story has been told.<\/p>\n
NH: Do you have any professional contact with Chinese environmental photographers, such as for instance Lu Guang?<\/strong><\/p>\nSG: I do not normally collaborate with other photographers on projects, however I am aware of the work of Chinese environmental photographers, such as Lu Guang. I admire his work.<\/p>\n
The access that local photographers are able to get is advantageous to them and they use it to tell environmental stories from a different perspective. This is very important.<\/p>\n
NH: What are the prospects for sustainable environmental tourism in China? How typical was your experience at Dongting lake, which people visit for its natural beauty yet are destroying what they’ve come to enjoy?<\/strong><\/p>\nSG: I believe the most important aspect of sustainable environmental tourism is education. At the moment when people visit places of special environmental interest in China, such as national parks, there isn’t enough emphasis on educating people about why and how these ecosystems should be protected.<\/p>\n
One place that is trying to change this is the Jiuzhaigou National Park, in northern Sichuan Province. Ten thousand people visit the park each day in peak season. They normally enter en masse, travelling around the park in buses, spending a few hours walking around taking pictures and then leave. People come to look, not learn.<\/p>\n
A new eco-tour program has been set-up in recent years by rangers at the park, allowing small groups to go into the park with a guide for one, two, or three day hikes. The emphasis is on learning about the forest ecosystems and why we should protect them. It’s a wonderful way to learn about the flora and fauna in the park. At the moment however, 99% of visitors opt for the en masse experience, rather than the eco-tours. I hope this can change in the future.<\/p>\n
NH: Do you have any other photo projects planned in China?<\/strong><\/p>\nSG: Having covered China for so long, I am now looking to turn my attention to other developing nations in Asia. I recently made two trips to Indonesia, to photograph issues related to climate change there. I am also planning to travel to India later this year to begin working on similar environmental issues.<\/p>\n
Due to their populations and stages of economic development, I believe China, India and Indonesia are the best countries in Asia to find the most vivid examples of the clashes between humanity and nature.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
China is growing fast and, as it grows, it is faced with urgent environmental challenges. Climate change, species loss, pollution, water scarcity and environment damage are not problems confined to one country: they are challenges that concern all the world’s citizens, but the rise of China gives them a new urgency. Tackling these challenges will require a common effort and common understanding. Here at chinadialogue we aim to promote that common understanding. chinadialogue is devoted to the publication of high […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,83],"tags":[37,87,29,50,51],"yoast_head":"\n
China Dialogue Interview - China's Environmental Crisis - Sean Gallagher - Photographer & Filmmaker - Beijing, China<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n