In my opinion citizens of a country have a huge role in the development of sustainable environments as it is their country and have an equal right on the land they live on, citizens and leaders should have an equal saying when environmental protection and economic developments are at stake. Economic development is very important for a country's economy but on the other hand economic development is only successful when the environment is taken good care of which leads to better health for the citizens. China is one of the largest leaders in economic growth with its GDP (Gross domestic product) increasing by 10% over the past decade but with China's economic rise there is a threat to the environment and public health. China produces about 1/3 of the world's greenhouse gases every year. The article "China's Environmental Crisis", talks about theses environmental issues and how economic development has caused disturbances to the citizens of the country. The question "To what extent do citizens have a responsibility to hold our leaders accountable for the protection of natural resources while pursuing economic growth?" has been answered perfectly with evidence throughout this article as it mentions on how citizens of China are finally standing up to the environmental issues and how at the end the leaders are finally accepting the truth and trying to protect natural resources along with keeping a strong economic base. Chinese citizens have held the government accountable for the environmental and have had many protests which state that the government needs to focus more on creating a healthier country instead of a rich economical successful country. .
This article has stated many scientific and geographical factors in order to make an impact. It talks about how protests have been taking place over the past 5 years in order to fight for a sustainable country so that the country's health is as strong as its economic base.