Beijing's pollution made worse by vehicles
Source: Xinhua |
June 5, 2013, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
VEHICLES in Beijing aren't just a means of transportation, they're also a difficult part of the "race" against pollution for Yu Jianhua, in charge of air pollution management at the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.
"Our emission reduction efforts have outperformed in the race in recent years, but the competition is getting increasingly challenging for us," Yu said.
Heavy smog has shrouded the capital many times since January, raising health concerns among residents.
It is a threat that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.
According to official statistics, in 2012, the number of long-term residents in Beijing increased by 507,000 year on year, hitting 20.69 million, and energy consumption was up 84 percent from the previous year.
These additional pressures are equivalent to adding a small or medium-sized city to Beijing, according to government estimates.
Increased population and energy consumption aside, vehicles in the city are a major contributor to Beijing's pollution - and one that keeps growing.
A report issued by a research team under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in February revealed that vehicle exhaust is among Beijing's top sources of air pollution, contributing to up to one-quarter of the PM2.5, airborne particles measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, in the city.
By the end of last year, about 5.2 million cars were registered in Beijing, and the number is expected to top 5.3 million this year, adding more pressure to the city's environmental protection efforts, Yu said.
Despite the municipal government's policy that caps the amount of new cars registered in the city at 240,000 annually, the total number of vehicles is still growing, Yu said, calling on citizens to reduce the use of private cars and opt for public transportation instead.
Though it costs as little as 0.4 yuan to ride a bus or 2 yuan (33 US cents) to hop on the subway, many residents use public transportation reluctantly.
"I have to meet at least three clients every day, traveling across the city, and using public transport is still much more time-consuming," said Henry Ma, the manager of a venture capital company in Beijing. "Beijing is too large."
Moreover, private cars remain an important status symbol. "If I take a bus to see my client, he may doubt my competence in doing business," Ma said.
Moreover, experts suggested that air pollution control efforts should be integrated into city planning.
"Our emission reduction efforts have outperformed in the race in recent years, but the competition is getting increasingly challenging for us," Yu said.
Heavy smog has shrouded the capital many times since January, raising health concerns among residents.
It is a threat that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon.
According to official statistics, in 2012, the number of long-term residents in Beijing increased by 507,000 year on year, hitting 20.69 million, and energy consumption was up 84 percent from the previous year.
These additional pressures are equivalent to adding a small or medium-sized city to Beijing, according to government estimates.
Increased population and energy consumption aside, vehicles in the city are a major contributor to Beijing's pollution - and one that keeps growing.
A report issued by a research team under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in February revealed that vehicle exhaust is among Beijing's top sources of air pollution, contributing to up to one-quarter of the PM2.5, airborne particles measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, in the city.
By the end of last year, about 5.2 million cars were registered in Beijing, and the number is expected to top 5.3 million this year, adding more pressure to the city's environmental protection efforts, Yu said.
Despite the municipal government's policy that caps the amount of new cars registered in the city at 240,000 annually, the total number of vehicles is still growing, Yu said, calling on citizens to reduce the use of private cars and opt for public transportation instead.
Though it costs as little as 0.4 yuan to ride a bus or 2 yuan (33 US cents) to hop on the subway, many residents use public transportation reluctantly.
"I have to meet at least three clients every day, traveling across the city, and using public transport is still much more time-consuming," said Henry Ma, the manager of a venture capital company in Beijing. "Beijing is too large."
Moreover, private cars remain an important status symbol. "If I take a bus to see my client, he may doubt my competence in doing business," Ma said.
Moreover, experts suggested that air pollution control efforts should be integrated into city planning.
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