China's economic growth comes with eco-impact

China's decades of bullish economic growth have come with a major environmental impact. Pollution levels have soared, and that's proving increasingly detrimental to even the country's economic well being.

China lost 8.9% of its Gross National Income last year on addressing pollution. That's around 650 billion US dollars. India follows closely, having spent 8.8% of its GNI on pollution-eliminating efforts. The US meanwhile, spent 2.4%, while South Korea and Japan each spent less than 1% of their GNI offsetting the impacts brought about by pollution.