India not alone, China is battling pollution too. How bad is it?

India and China have something in common. Sadly, it’s the smog. Air pollution is plaguing parts of the two countries. In India, Delhi-NCR and Mumbai are battling with bad air days. In China, Beijing and its surrounding areas are choking with tens of millions of people

Fog and haze have enveloped major cities in the northern part of the country. On Tuesday, authorities warned the public that visibility could drop to less than 50 metres.

We take a look at how bad the air pollution is in northern China and what measures is the country adopting.

What are the air pollution levels in China?

According to China’s weather office, “foggy and hazy” conditions are prevalent in the capital Beijing, the megacity of Tianjin, and parts of the provinces of Hebei, Shandong and Hubei. These places are home to more than 100 million people in total.

Beijing woke up to a polluted Wednesday. Many of its 22 million residents wore face masks as they snaked through streets shrouded in a grey haze.

The pollution in some areas has been classified as “severe” and has at times lowered visibility to less than 50 metres (164 feet).

Beijing recorded five days with “unhealthy” pollution levels in the last week, compared to just three such days in the past three weeks, air quality monitoring firm IQAir’s data revealed.

IQAir said Beijing was the third most-polluted major city on Earth on Wednesday, just ahead of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka. On Thursday, while Delhi ranked first, Beijing had dropped to the 13th position. Mumbai was ninth on the list.

Beijing’s concentrations of hazardous PM 2.5 particles were more than 20 times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the firm said.

On Thursday, the concentration of PM2.5, which comprises fine particulate matter capable of deeply penetrating the respiratory system upon inhalation, was six to seven times higher than the safe limit of 60 microgrammes per cubic meter in various locations in the Delhi-NCR region, according to media reports.

PM 2.5 particles, if inhaled, can have serious health risks, linked to premature deaths in people with heart or lung disease, as well as a host of breathing and other health issues, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Also read: Delhi, Mumbai see bad air days again: Are authorities doing enough to curb pollution?

Have pollution levels improved over the years?

A decade ago, Beijing routinely choked in off-the-charts smog that stoked public health anxiety and was dubbed the “airpocalypse” by Western commentators.

China declared “war on pollution” after winning the Winter Olympics bid in 2015, shutting down dozens of coal plants and relocating heavy industries.

That has brought significant improvements, but air quality often remains below WHO standards and severe pollution is common in China’s capital.

In March and April, Beijing experienced six days when pollution levels were considered “very unhealthy”. The air quality had reached emergency levels, according to data from the US embassy. The Chinese capital also recorded five days of “unhealthy” pollution levels around October and November last year.

China is the world’s biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases driving climate change, such as carbon dioxide.

A recent jump in approvals for coal-fired power plants has added to concerns that China will backtrack on its goals to peak emissions between 2026 and 2030 and become carbon-neutral by 2060.

Why is Beijing the worst hit in China?

The capital’s location plays a role. Nestled between deserts to the north and dense industrial clusters to the south and east, the direction of the prevailing wind can often determine whether the city sees blue skies or dense smog.

But that alone cannot be named. The bad air is also man-made: highly-polluting heavy industry, the common use of coal burning for electricity and vehicle emissions, IQAir said.

Beijing’s city government has blamed “unfavourable weather conditions” such as high humidity and unseasonably hot temperatures. Colder weather may help dissipate pollution, it steps.

What’s Beijing doing to beat pollution?

The second-highest air pollution alert is in place in Beijing until the end of Thursday. It orders businesses, builders and transport firms to cut their emissions as a matter of urgency.

Further curbs, such as temporary bans on the use of some high-emissions vehicles, will come into force if the highest alert, which is already in force in parts of Hebei province, is triggered.

Authorities have also urged residents to reduce outdoor activities and strenuous exercise during periods of high pollution.

With inputs from AFP