Air Pollution In China
Authorities in Shanghai today grounded flights, halted construction and urged school children to stay indoors, as thick clouds of yellow smog descended on the city of more than 14 million.
The local government was forced to issue its most severe health warnings with air pollution rates ranging between 23 and 31 times the international standard.
China has struggled with the effects of air pollution, especially in the winter months, as more people rely on burning coal for heat. In October, the northern city of Harbin was covered by black smog that limited visibility to mere feet.
The country's industrialization efforts are a major factor in the increasing pollution. Xu Bin, associate ...
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that public sentiment has shifted dramatically in China.
"There was a time, maybe ten years ago, when people were almost proud of smog because it meant 'we're industrializing, we're becoming a real country," she said, "That moment has definitely passed, and these very serious episodes have brought terrific pressure on the government. If you are the only power, you also are the only people to blame, and they know that."
In September, the government announced new targets to reduce coal consumption. Meanwhile, in some cities, local officials have limited the burning of leaves and encouraged people to pare back their use of vehicles, especially in the wake of these high-smog events.
"The new leaders are serious about reform," R. Edward Grumbine, a senior international scientist at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences told Forbes. "But, no one knows whether they can create new incentives that will influence local leaders to change."
Still, the ...
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Air Pollution In China. (2013, December 26). Retrieved April 23, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Air-Pollution-In-China/103500
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"Air Pollution In China." Essayworld.com. December 26, 2013. Accessed April 23, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Air-Pollution-In-China/103500.
"Air Pollution In China." Essayworld.com. December 26, 2013. Accessed April 23, 2025. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Air-Pollution-In-China/103500.
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