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Air Pollution In Beijing

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Beijing and Air Pollution

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports, “around 7 million people die every year

from exposure to fine particles in polluted air that penetrate deep into the lungs and

cardiovascular system.” Such people perish from diseases including stroke, heart disease, cancer,

chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and respiratory infections. For many, these facts are a

nightmare. However, it is the reality that faces those who live in highly populated and dense

cities, such as Beijing. Due to various factors involving the industrialization of China and

Beijing’s particular topography, a dangerous haze has been cast throughout the city since 2012.

The problem worsened to the point where the city installed an air pollution alert system in 2013,

and in 2015, they used the red alert for heavy air pollution for the first time. On December 8th

from 7 a.m. to December 10th at noon of that year, Beijing’s air quality index (AQI) reached 400

micrograms per cubic meter, far more than the 25 micrograms per cubic meter that WHO

deemed hazardous (Nace). In this unprecedented event, Beijing has become a mile-marker in the

history of polluted cities, and the actions are taken to remedy the situation, particularly at the

political level with the installation of new policies to improve the lives of citizens.

In China, an estimated 1.2 million people die prematurely as a result of air pollution (Jin

et al.). The red alert in 2015 concretized the severity of pollution on the lives of Chinese citizens,

and policies were invoked to reduce the amount of smog in the air. Firstly, the number of cars on

the road were limited by license plates where odd only or even only cars could drive on

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particular days. Heavy vehicles were restricted from operations, and 30% of governmental

vehicles inactive. Other actions taken include prohibiting the use of fireworks and open-air

barbecues. Primary and elementary schools were also asked to close, keeping young children at

home (Yongbin).

These strategies are not new, but a continuation of environmental protection policies that

extend back as far as the 1980s. According to Jin et al., new laws have been enacted to cover five

main categories, including “(1) environmental laws, rules and standards; (2) national plans in the

FYP framework; (3) ten specific regulatory measures; (4) special actions outside the FYP

framework; and (5) environment-related state ideologies.” Between 1998 and 2001, funds were

allocated to the protection of vegetation, farm subsidies, and a program dedicated to the re-

establishment of forests from farmlands (Zhiyong). In response to increased protests from 2001

to 2007, the Chinese government revoked subsidies to highly polluting industries. In 2013, the

China National Action Plan on Air Pollution Prevention and Control was established, in which it

was proclaimed that by 2017, “ the urban concentration of PM10 shall decrease by 10%

compared with 2012” (Jin et al.). Before then, however, the country would see its first red alert.

The red alert sparked new penalties against polluting businesses, including the seizure of their

land (Duggan). Similar actions were taken in 2017 to increase the penalty for water pollution by

amending the Water Pollution Prevention Act, furthering the agenda to environmental stability in

China for the betterment of all organismic lives. Such actions were also in response to public

demand, as the growing risk continues to affect individuals and their families.

These policies proved effective to some degree. The quick fixes enacted during the crisis

eventually lead to the lifting of the red alert a few days after it was declared. The action taken in

light of the alert lessened the PM level by 10% on the same day the strategies were enacted,

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LAST NAME 1 Name Professor Course Date Beijing and Air Pollution The World Health Organization (WHO) reports, “around 7 million people die every year from exposure to fine particles in polluted air that penetrate deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system.” Such people perish from diseases including stroke, heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and respiratory infections. For many, these facts are a nightmare. However, it is the reality that faces those who live in highly populated and dense cities, such as Beijing. Due to various factors involving the industrialization of China and Beijing’s particular topography, a dangerous haze has been cast throughout the city since 2012. The problem worsened to the point where the city installed an air pollution alert system in 2013, and in 2015, they used the red alert for heavy air pollution for the first time. On December 8th from 7 a.m. to December 10th at noon of that year, Beijing’s air quality index (AQI) reached 400 micrograms per cubic meter, far more than the 25 micrograms per cubic meter that WHO deemed hazardous (Nace). In this unprecedented event, Beijing has become a mile-marker in the history of polluted cities, and the actions are taken to remedy the situation, particularly at the political level with the installation of new policies to improve the lives of citizens. In China, an estimated 1.2 million people die prematurely as a result of air pollution (Jin et al.). The red alert in 20 ...
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Tags: World Health Organization Chinese citizens Air Quality Index Beijing China FYP framework