China's smog sparks activism; blue skies remain distant

Calum MacLeod, USA TODAY | USATODAY

BEIJING — The smog smothering China's capital in January has provoked public activism ranging from high school students pressing city officials on emergency measures, to a real estate mogul holding an online poll for clean-air legislation.

The filthy, dangerous and record-breaking start to air quality in 2013 continued Thursday in Beijing where the air was described as "very unhealthy," according to the U.S. Embassy, which monitors air quality for employees and is considered a reliable source for such information.

Some citizens suggest banning the fireworks for next weekend's Chinese New Year celebrations, when Beijing and other cities resemble war zones with deafening firecrackers and dense smoke.

But both government officials and environmentalists warn that the answer to China's pollution problems will require more long-term solutions before the country enjoys blue skies permanently.

The delay in revising China's existing air pollution law, from 2000, shows the "low priority to environmental issues," said Zhou Rong, East Asia climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace in Beijing. But she said she is encouraged that "the public are definitely more involved than before."

For most of January, the smog level has been multiple times over the World Health Organization's recommended upper limit of exposure to PM2.5 pollution, tiny particulate matter that poses the greatest health risks.

With just five smog-free days from Jan. 1 to Jan. 29, this has been Beijing's haziest January since 1954, according to the People's Daily, the Communist Party's publication.

Constant coughing in class prompted four students at Beijing No. 4 High School to take action by compiling a 7,000-character submission to city authorities to amend air-quality regulations and take specific emergency measures. The request was signed by 218 students.

The smog has packed hospitals with young and old suffering respiratory and heart problems. High levels of PM2.5 air pollution caused 8,572 premature deaths last year in four major Chinese cities including Beijing, according to a joint study by environmental group Greenpeace and Peking University's School of Public Health.

Sales of expensive air filters have boomed, as well as face masks, but many people still disregard the dangers, including those working outside all day.

"I don't wear a mask as I grew up here, I'm used to the pollution, but I do miss the blue skies when I was a kid," said Zhao Wei, 25, a city postal clerk, whose office has no air filters.

Celebrity blogger and real estate baron Pan Shiyi asked his 14 million followers on one of China's Twitter equivalents if they supported his plan to propose a clean-air act to the city legislature. The online poll he started Tuesday showed almost 99% of more than 46,000 respondents welcomed the idea.

Last winter, public momentum helped push the government to release PM2.5 data. This year, the focus is on solutions, as shown by a raging debate on the low quality of Chinese fuel, Greenpeace's Zhou said.

People focus on vehicle emissions from gridlocked streets, "as 10 years ago Chinese cities didn't have cars," yet the biggest contributor to China's air pollution remains coal, Zhou said.

"We are still growing the economy, demanding more energy and burning more coal," which accounts for two-thirds of China's energy supply, she said. "China is beginning to change, but needs time to make the shift," and to sharply increase penalties for polluters.

Resolving the smog problem requires a "long-term process. But we must act," said China's next premier, Li Keqiang, who is set to take office in March.

The U.S. experience shows how long it takes to reduce emissions from cars, so China should instead aim at reducing then eliminating coal consumption in its large cities, said Yang Fuqiang, a former government researcher, now senior adviser on climate, energy and environment at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

"It is a long-term fight," but increased use of natural gas and renewable energy, plus clean coal technology and increased energy efficiency, can produce rapid improvements in air quality, Yang said. "We cannot say GDP (gross domestic product) comes first. We can make a shorter schedule to the time when we can get better air."

Winds expected Thursday night may dissipate the smog and improve visibility, at least temporarily.

Amid mounting frustration and health worries online, there's black humor, too.

"When I was 20 years old, I could see the Western Hills from Deshengmen," an old city wall gate in Beijing, composer Gao Xiaosong said. "When I was 30, I could see Xizhimen (a closer landmark) from Deshengmen, when I was 40, standing at Deshengmen, I could hardly see the Deshengmen!"

Contributing: Sunny Yang



