April 3, 1998 Contact Pauline Austin (541) 346-3129 EUGENE--A group of internationally recognized experts will examine the environmental consequences of China's rapid industrialization and economic growth over the past two decades in a series of lectures on "China's Environmental Crisis" at the University of Oregon April 13-May 18. "China's heavy reliance on coal to meet its enormous demand for energy has made China a major factor in the management of global and Asian environmental problems,"says Richard P. Suttmeier, UO political science professor. "In addition, serious air pollution, dwindling supplies of water and the degradation of soils threaten to undermine the many benefits which growth has brought to hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens," he adds. To understand China's international role in the 21st century, Suttmeier says, it is important for Americans to understand the nature and extent of these problems and the historical, philosophical and policy contexts in which they arise. The lecture series, sponsored by the UO Center for Asian And Pacific Studies (CAPS), will address China's environmental history, its problems of sustainable agriculture and rural development, its approaches to the preservation of biodiversity, its pressing energy problems, and the international significance of China's environmental degradation. All of the talks begin at 7:30 p.m. on successive Mondays. All but one will be in the Alumni Lounge, Gerlinger Hall, 1468 University St. The May 18 final lecture will be in the Browsing Room, Knight Library, 1501 Kincaid St. Dates, topics and speakers are: Monday, April 13: "China's Environmental History: Lessons for Sustainable Development?" by Peter Purdue, head of the history department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Monday, April 20: "A High Price for Success: Fiscal and Ecological Crises in China's Agricultural Sector" by Gregory Veeck, associate professor of geography, Louisiana State University. Monday, April 27: "Government Structure, Environmental Protection and the Changing Role of the Provinces: Promoting Sustainable Development in Heilongjiang" by George P. Davis, president, Global Associates in Sustainable Development of Springfield. Monday, May 4: "Is China an Environmental Security Risk?" by Vaclev Smil, a leading expert on Chinese environmental affairs, professor of geography, University of Manitoba. Monday, May 11: "Conserving China's Biodiversity: An International Perspective on National Initiatives" by Dan Viederman, former director, World Wildlife Foundation, Beijing. Monday, May 18: "Alternative Energy Futures for China" by Jeff Logan, research scientist, Batelle Advanced International Studies Unit, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy. For more information, contact the Center for Asian and Pacific Studies at (541) 346-5087. -30- #P-6084/Local, A&E, Special