Beijing — Rapid Economic Expansion for the Price of What?
Air pollution in Beijing is affecting citizens and their efforts to fight it.
China has some of the worst air pollution in the world. Since the rise of capitalism in 1978, China’s economic growth has increased immensely. The growing middle class of this heavily populated country has provided industrialization within the country to boom. The burning of coal is one particular economic provider of the industrialization that attributes to its middle class expansion. Many studies show that China’s economic growth largely correlates to its increase in air pollution.
Beijing, in particular, is the third largest city in the country. This condense, overpopulated city drives a lot of the environmental issues faced by the country. This urban region along with its expanding middle class amplifies the amount of cars obtained by citizens within this major city. Vehicle accumulation exhausts high rates of CO2 emissions into the air and increasingly affects the environmental pollution rates of the city.
Coal infused industrialization provided for the growing middle class and city plans for new roadways to adhere to traffic congestion dissipates the need for forestation. This causes the city to neglect its urban forests and their environmental benefits. Beijing’s desperate need for reductions in air pollutants can easily be solved by the attention towards its urban forests and tree plantations. Unfortunately, industrialization as well as poor planning and quick economic growth cause the city to neglect this potentially environmental friendly provider.
From these factors, Beijing has acquired a smog that can cause serious health problems for its citizens. One study shows the significance between increased mortality rates and air pollution as well as the respiratory issues caused by the air pollution. — http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00039896.1994.9937470
The image below is Beijing’s city center in the spring on the left, and then 2 months later covered in smog on the right.
So Far, What Approaches Has Beijing Faced to Adhere Towards This Issue?
- So far, Beijing has set few policies to restrict traffic pollution and CO2 emissions. Their efforts involve regulating the amount of coal production, limiting car emissions, and setting pollution quotas for firms and business’.
- Little has been done to retract the issues with deforestation within the city. Proposals by the city’s government to plant more trees have been announced but no actions have been further followed through in effort to face this particular issue.
- To decrease the relationship between air pollution and healthcare, it has become widely popular to wear face masks on days where it is especially polluted.
- Beijing has also begun to invest in ecologically safe technology in substitution to coal power plants, but economic recessions have recently halted and slowed down this process.
References:
- Edited by Kylienne A. Clark, Travis R. Shaul, and Brian H. Lower. “Environmental ScienceBites.” 4.2 Causes and Consequences of Air Pollution in Beijing, China | Environmental ScienceBites, The Ohio State University, osu.pb.unizin.org/sciencebites/chapter/causes-and-consequences-of-air-pollution-in-beijing-china/.
- Yang, Jun, et al. “The urban forest in Beijing and its role in air pollution reduction.” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, vol. 3, no. 2, 2005, pp. 65–78., doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2004.09.001.
- Xu, Xiping, et al. “Air pollution and daily mortality in residential areas of Beijing, China.” Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal49.4 (1994): 216–222.
- “What is China doing to tackle its air pollution?” BBC News, BBC, 20 Jan. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35351597.
- Duggan, Jennifer. “Beijing to spend £76bn to improve air quality | Jennifer Duggan.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 23 Jan. 2014, www.theguardian.com/environment/chinas-choice/2014/jan/23/china-beijing-authorities-measures-tackle-air-pollution.
- Fullerton, Jamie. “Beijing hit by dirty smog but observers say air is getting better.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 31 Mar. 2017, www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/mar/31/china-beijing-air-pollution-smog-business-crackdown-fines-spot-checks.
- Xu, Xiping, et al. “Air pollution and daily mortality in residential areas of Beijing, China.” Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal 49.4 (1994): 216–222.
- Prince, Andrew. “Beijing’s Pollution, Seen From Space In Before And After Photos.” NPR, NPR, 15 Jan. 2013, www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/01/15/169422960/beijings-pollution-seen-from-space-in-before-and-after-photos.
