Sprint to the Finish

Beijing struggles to clear air in time for Olympics

Posted at 2:21 PM on 31 Dec 2007

The good news: Beijing narrowly achieved its air-pollution goal of 245 "blue sky days" in 2007. The bad news: Skepticism abounds that the city will offer wholly breathable air when it hosts the upcoming Summer Olympics. "We're definitely hoping for the best," says Jon Kolb, a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, "but preparing for the worst." While Beijing has undertaken significant environmental initiatives in the lead-up to hosting the Games, it has also emphasized rapid urbanization. Polluting factories have been moved or closed, but 1,200 new vehicles hit Beijing's streets each day. Coal-burning furnaces have been replaced, but more than 1.7 billion square feet of new construction has been started since 2002, increasing fine-particle pollution. Nonetheless, says Liu Qi of the city's Olympics organizing committee, Beijing is "determined to ensure that the air conditions meet the necessary standards in August 2008." And hopefully beyond.

sources: The New York Times, Xinhua
see also, in Gristmill: It's almost 2008, and Beijing's air is still polluted

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Comments: (1 comment)

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Strange

You guys posted almost the same article, four days apart??

The air was indeed bad Thursday, but Friday got better (though the NYTimes said it was worse). I think the MSM lives in a different dimension. I was out biking all over the city (from NorthWest to SouthEast (central), and the big problem was the wind. I love the wind, it cleans the air, I hate the wind, it blows sand into my face (sometimes) and is hard to peddle in (this was very hard) and I am allergic to it...

My comments elsewhere still stand.

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/12/27/141732/15

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/12/27/141732/15/#2

My bets are the the Olympic air will be no worse than Athens, and probably better.

There have been over 500,000 people who signed up to volunteer (400,000 more than officially called for). Many of my students are in despair, they really want to help!! It will be quite an experience.

patrick in Beijing

by bookerly at 11:04 PM on 31 Dec 2007

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