Hello everyone! For this new blog post, I will be looking into air pollution from a spatial analysis specifically in the city of China, Beijing.
Today’s blog post focuses on air pollution in China, in particular Beijing. The Chinese capital has seen levels of the most harmful particles known as PM2.5 more than halve since the 2013. While there are some environmental regulations implemented, the issues of coal burning and vehicle emissions are seen as key to protect the environment. However, the real issue at hand is that many city dwellers are unaware of its social and economic spatialities of air pollution. This could lead to differing health inequalities among its citizens.
Heavy pollution surrounds the China Central Television headquarters building in Beijing, January 2012
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/oct/08/beijing-air-quality-monitor
Several Reasons for Beijing’s Air Pollution:
Rapid economic boom led to a surge in the number of motorized vehicles, population growth, output from manufacturing, and natural reasons which include the seasonal weather.
- With rising purchasing power, individuals are more capable of affording motor vehicles.
- The number of motor vehicles on Beijing’s roads has doubled to 3.3 million with nearly 1200 added each day.
- Emissions from motorized vehicles contribute to nearly 70% of the city’s air pollution.
- The four most dangerous pollutants that are emitted include: sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
- Population growth in China and Beijing contributes to extensive pollution. Beijing’s population has rised from 11 million to 16 million in just 7 years,
- Coal burning factories also contribute to the smog present in Beijing. The factories are located on the outskirts of Beijing and the nearby cities of Harbin and Hebei
What has Beijing municipal do to monitor and reduce air pollution? Beijing authorities have initiated the use and conduct of calculations based on population census and air quality data for 2000 and 2010 to explore socio-spatial and temporal inequalities. Furthermore, China records air quality data via the official real-time air pollution monitoring station network, with the ultimate focus on the fine particulate matter fraction (PM5), that are attributed to poor air quality. Such fine air particulate are strongly associated with combustion sources, including vehicle traffic, which emits primary particulates plus other gases (e.g. NOX, SO2) that react to produce secondary pollutants including nitrate and sulphate particulates. Other technologies such as the application of GIS to map the spatial distributions of air pollution and pro- portions of the disadvantaged social groups of migrants, very young children (aged 0–4years), the elderly (aged 65years and above), and the rate of unemployment for each sub-district in Beijing.
However, there are other socio-economic concerns such as the Hukou system in Beijing, where very young children are more likely to live with their adult parents in the more polluted urban areas where work opportunities exist and housing is more affordable. This results in environmental inequalities that exist with respect to measures of social disadvantage, such as hukou migrant status, very young children (0–4years), and the elderly (65years). Through the data collected, the analysis reveals that environmental inequality increases for migrants and the elderly, who bear a disproportionate and increasing share of declining air quality from 2000 to 2010.
I personally feel one of the measures that China, in particular Beijing needs to put in place would be the the rising need to set car emissions standards set to take effect in 2020 (as it progress into a low carbon society). The Chinese government will also need to promote electricity and natural gas in place of coal, and implementing control measures to deal with air pollution. The reduction in the reliance of fossil fuel, meant that China needs to find alternatives to energy sources. Interestingly, China is one of the world’s leading country in electricity production from renewable energy. The investing in larger wind and solar power projects could help to cut down on emissions from coal and other fossil fuels. Coal plants are currently being shut down by the Chinese government, in favor of wind and solar power plants.
In conclusion, Beijing can lead a slow but good progress in the reduction in levels of PM2.5 and other harmful air pollutant. China can tap on its large investment and research on renewable clean energy to optimise its energy structure and energy efficiency which simultaneously translates for a low-carbon society, to meet both air quality and climate target in future.
Thank you for reading everyone!
For the next blog post, I will be looking into issues and causes of outdoor air pollution!
Till next time!
References:
Jing Ma, Bochu Liu, Gordon Mitchell & Guanpeng Dong (2019) A spatial analysis of air pollution and environmental inequality in Beijing, 2000–2010, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 62:14, 2437-2458, DOI: 10.1080/09640568.2018.1560003
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/beijing-pollution-china-record-low-11898394