In our previous post, we explored the effectiveness of HAB mitigation strategies adopted during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Specifically, we identified the strategies’ lack of focus on anthropogenic water pollution to be problematic, and proposed that Qingdao officials should tighten waste disposal regulations while investing in specialised wastewater treatment.
While these strategies appear foolproof in principle, they may not be effectively implemented in reality. This is especially so across space, where political and socioeconomic contexts vary and influence countries’ abilities to implement these strategies. Firstly, ramping up investments in advanced treatment technologies can be extremely costly, making it a financially unfeasible option in less affluent countries. Modern treatment systems that adopt high-tech processes such as the removal of residual contaminants (specialised treatment) can cost billions of dollars, notwithstanding additional costs of building pipes connecting these systems to areas with pollutive activity (Hill, 2012). Hence, such investments can be a financial burden for developing countries, potentially offsetting the economic returns from Olympic-induced tourism.
Wastewater treatment technologies that focus on specialised treatment are costly for developing countries, influencing their ability to adopt them when managing HAB growth (Wilo, n.d.)
In Qingdao, for example, nearly $100 million was spent on algae clean up at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (Glibert, 2014), on top of its hefty $17.5 billion Olympic budget (Mol, 2010). $100 million in losses was also incurred by Qingdao’s stronghold abalone and sea cucumber industries (Glibert, 2014), which saw record low yields. Therefore, investing in specialised treatment technologies was only likely to threaten Qingdao’s financial position, as Chinese cities did not receive central government funding. Although such investments could arguably reduce algae clearance costs in the long-term, the massive short-term outflow of capital would be too much to handle, potentially requiring countries to obtain loans from supranational organisations. This reinforces the financial unfeasibility of implementing advanced treatment technologies in developing countries.
Secondly, although regulating agricultural-related point sources can help to nip anthropogenic water pollution in the bud, countries might not have the political will to do so. In countries that heavily rely on the agricultural industry for economic growth, the amount of chemical waste produced is positively correlated to the industry’s growth. As such, managing waste disposal is challenging as it would inevitably involve the capping of farming operations and amount of profits earned. In 2011, the sudden accumulation of Ulva algae in the French province of Brittany coincided with the rapid expansion of livestock farming (Smetacek and Zingone, 2013). As the meat industry was integral to Brittany’s economy, local officials argued that HAB formation was inevitable as nutrients were continually released via animal manure (Smetacek and Zingone, 2013). In fact, eutrophication rates surpassed those of manure treatment, meaning that regulating these rates would either involve reducing livestock numbers — an economically unfeasible option — or investing in treatment technology. This illustrates the conflict between economy and environment, where countries might be unwilling to regulate waste disposal for fear of jeopardising growth. Furthermore, the regulation of agricultural practices, as with all policies, takes years to implement (Smetacek and Zingone, 2013). Hence, whether policymakers can maintain political will remains uncertain, amidst more pressing objectives of increasing economic influence through mega-events like the Olympic Games.
Developing countries might not have the political will to regulate waste disposal, as doing so has adverse effects on agricultural growth (Damara Bali Foundation, 2019)
So, does this suggest that HAB formation is a problem that cannot be solved? Certainly not! However, acknowledging the economic obstacles that stand in developing countries’ paths can facilitate the conceptualisation and implementation of context-specific HAB mitigation strategies. More importantly, officials should seek to understand the growth dynamics of various algae species, as only then can they manage HABs in a cost-effective manner.
References
Damara Bali Foundation. (2019). 25 farmers have been trained in compost making made of animal manure & agricultural waste [Online image]. Damara Bali Foundation. https://www.damara-bali.org/25-farmers-have-been-trained-in-compost-making-made-of-animal-manure-agricultural-waste/
Glibert, P. M. (2014). Harmful Algal Blooms in Asia: an insidious and escalating water pollution phenomenon with effects on ecological and human health. ASIANetwork Exchange, 21(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.16995/ane.46
Hill, M. K. (2012). Water Pollution. In M. K. Hill (Ed.), Understanding Environmental Pollution (pp. 236-285). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511840654
Mol, A. P. (2010). Sustainability as global attractor: The greening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Global Networks, 10(4), 510-528. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0374.2010.00289.x
Smetacek, V., & Zingone, A. (2013). Green and golden seaweed tides on the rise. Nature, 504(7478), 84-88. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12860
Wilo. (n.d.). Clean water for Qingdao [Online image]. Wilo. https://wilo.com/tw/en/Solutions-Provider/Global-references/Clean-water-for-Qingdao/