Pressure mounts on China to tackle smog crisis
China’s closely controlled state media has today joined the chorus of calls for the government to take greater action to tackle air pollution, as record levels of smog continued to afflict Beijing and several other large cities.
The Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Centre confirmed yesterday levels of harmful PM2.5 had reached more than 600 micrograms per square metre in many areas, far in excess of the World Health Organisation’s safe guideline limit of 25 micrograms.
The US Embassy’s air pollution index also announced that pollution levels had hit 755, equating to a PM 2.5 density of 886 micrograms per cubic metre.
With the capital blanketed in smog, the People’s Daily used a front page editorial to ask “how can we get out of this suffocating siege of pollution?” adding that there was a need to “clearly view managing environmental pollution with a sense of urgency”.
The China Daily also reported that the term “Beijing Cough” was becoming “increasingly popular with local media and Chinese citizens”, while also confirming that at least 25 flights to and from the capital were cancelled over the weekend as a result of the smog.
China’s state-controlled media rarely criticises the government, even tacitly, but with online protests at poor air quality spreading the government is coming under mounting pressure to tackle the problem.
Officials said short-term measures were undertaken yesterday to tackle the record levels of air pollution, which are expected to remain for several more days as low pressure systems fail to disperse the pollution.
Outdoor sports activities have been suspended and the China Daily reported that construction has been suspended at 28 building sites and 54 businesses have been instructed to reduce their emissions by 30 per cent. The government said inspectors had been sent to ensure the new limits are being adhered to.
The government last month announced plans to invest $56bn in improving air quality and confirmed it would tighten pollution standards across the country. But China’s booming levels of car ownership and continued investment in coal-fired power plants and factories mean dangerous levels of air pollution and periodic production shutdowns to tackle the problem are likely to continue for years to come.
In related news, Bloomberg reported that the Beijing government is to announce that it will match the $9,640 grant offered by the national government to people purchasing zero emission electric vehicles.
Officials told the news agency that the city’s government was working on major new investment in electric vehicles, including plans to purchase electric buses, taxis and street cleaners.
The Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Centre confirmed yesterday levels of harmful PM2.5 had reached more than 600 micrograms per square metre in many areas, far in excess of the World Health Organisation’s safe guideline limit of 25 micrograms.
The US Embassy’s air pollution index also announced that pollution levels had hit 755, equating to a PM 2.5 density of 886 micrograms per cubic metre.
With the capital blanketed in smog, the People’s Daily used a front page editorial to ask “how can we get out of this suffocating siege of pollution?” adding that there was a need to “clearly view managing environmental pollution with a sense of urgency”.
The China Daily also reported that the term “Beijing Cough” was becoming “increasingly popular with local media and Chinese citizens”, while also confirming that at least 25 flights to and from the capital were cancelled over the weekend as a result of the smog.
China’s state-controlled media rarely criticises the government, even tacitly, but with online protests at poor air quality spreading the government is coming under mounting pressure to tackle the problem.
Officials said short-term measures were undertaken yesterday to tackle the record levels of air pollution, which are expected to remain for several more days as low pressure systems fail to disperse the pollution.
Outdoor sports activities have been suspended and the China Daily reported that construction has been suspended at 28 building sites and 54 businesses have been instructed to reduce their emissions by 30 per cent. The government said inspectors had been sent to ensure the new limits are being adhered to.
The government last month announced plans to invest $56bn in improving air quality and confirmed it would tighten pollution standards across the country. But China’s booming levels of car ownership and continued investment in coal-fired power plants and factories mean dangerous levels of air pollution and periodic production shutdowns to tackle the problem are likely to continue for years to come.
In related news, Bloomberg reported that the Beijing government is to announce that it will match the $9,640 grant offered by the national government to people purchasing zero emission electric vehicles.
Officials told the news agency that the city’s government was working on major new investment in electric vehicles, including plans to purchase electric buses, taxis and street cleaners.
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