2023-10-31 19:16:54
All about China
Chinese authorities have recommended that people in the north of the country avoid outdoor activities due to pollution alerts in the region. More than 100 million people live in the area and are suffering from poor air quality.
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People should not leave their homes
In the capital Beijing, authorities issued an orange pollution alert on Monday (30), the second highest in the country. The air quality monitoring company IQAir listed the city, this Tuesday (31), as the fifth most polluted area on the planet, just ahead of the Indian megalopolis Mumbai. Already in several densely populated areas of the province of Hebei, which surrounds the Chinese capital, the red alert is in effect. The Chinese government has asked the inhabitants of these places to “reduce going out and strenuous outdoor exercise.” In addition, there is a limitation on the number of vehicles that can travel on the roads. In parts of Hebei, dense smoke has reduced visibility to less than 50 meters. In the neighboring city of Tianjin, south of Beijing, where 15 million people live, the meteorological department advised that all people suffering from respiratory problems stay at home and wear masks if they need to go out. Phys.org.
Pollution will continue until the weekend
Forecasters say the smoke, attributed to “unfavorable weather conditions”, will remain in the region until temperatures drop later this week.
If a red alert is also issued in Beijing, authorities must announce the reduction of traffic in a rotation scheme similar to that adopted in the city of São Paulo.
The Chinese capital declared a “war on pollution” after winning the 2015 Winter Olympics bid, closing dozens of coal plants and relocating heavy industries. Although there has been improvement in recent years, air quality remains well below World Health Organization (WHO) standards.
China is the world’s biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that drive climate change, such as carbon dioxide. Greenpeace said in April that the country approved a big increase in coal power this year, accusing the Chinese government of prioritizing energy supplies over its pledge to reduce fossil fuel emissions.
This scenario raises concerns that China will backtrack on its targets of peaking emissions between 2026 and 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060. This would be a major setback in the fight against global warming.
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