The Bio
Claim to Fame: Asia's best-known environmentalist; democracy advocate; former Hong Kong legislator.
Founder: Civic Exchange, a Hong Kong-based public policy think tank.
Co-chair: Human Rights in China.
Bridge Builder: Working with Western organizations (G8+5 Climate Change Dialogue and C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group), Loh explains China's attitudes, while interpreting Western positions in China.
Current Obsession: Convincing Asia's developing countries that environmental protection is not a luxury.

Travel Log
Last Trip: Bali, for the UN Climate Change meetings.
Next Trip: Sweden, for a Tällberg Foundation meeting on social innovation; and New York, for a Human Rights in China meeting.
Dream Trip: Brazil, to see the forests.
Best Trip: To a small English village for my nephew's christening. I almost missed the plane but was upgraded to first class; then family and fun in London.
Should we travel less? When possible, it's best to cut down business travel.

CNT:How scary are China's environmental problems?

Loh: They are very serious. The degree of degradation threatens human as well as ecological health.

CNT: Does China have the will to clean up its environment?

Loh: The government has shown more commitment in recent years. There are mandatory national and provincial energy-efficiency targets. To ensure that they are taken seriously, the Communist party secretary—the highest authority in a location—is held responsible.

CNT: How do China's environmental policies compare with those in the United States?

Loh: China has the opposite issues from the United States. In America, you've got states like California moving ahead on environmental policies but a federal government that is a problem. In contrast, China's central government has done a lot, passing environmental laws and setting standards for industry. The problem is at the local level. People have this idea of splendid central control, but it doesn't exist anymore.

CNT: They've lost control of the local economies?

Loh: State-owned enterprises are all told to meet energy-efficiency standards. It's much harder to control private businesses because regulation can't keep up.

CNT: Millions of Chinese peasants still live on a couple of dollars a day. They want development, they want cars. Don't they have a right to things we enjoy in the West?

Loh: It's a challenge. The environmental folks are working themselves to death. On the ground it's a different story—people want to make money.