Photos taken in major Chinese cities often show that they are shrouded in smog. And although the Chinese are striving to combat this phenomenon, so far the efforts have not yielded significant results. Smog in China is caused by several reasons and it is almost impossible to quickly get rid of their consequences. At the same time, the country's authorities are well aware that it is time to take the most decisive measures in the fight against industrial fog, since smog is becoming dangerous for the life and further development of Chinese society.
Where does smog come from in China?
There are several reasons for the phenomenon of dirty air in China. The main ones are related to the work of industrial enterprises, transport, and the use of coal in the energy sector.
On the territory of the country, along with modern enterprises, hundreds of thousands of semi-handicraft workshops and small factories with outdated equipment continue to operate, which have a negative impact on the environment.
The sheer number of diesel and low-grade gasoline vehicles also affect the atmosphere. When, for example, a restriction on the use of 11 million cars was imposed on the streets of the capital, air pollution in Beijing fell by almost 10%.
However, the main problem is the lack of its own gas and the use of cheap Chinese coal. The level of its consumption in the country's energy sector is 60%, although in developed countries this figure is 25%. But it is coal that makes production cheaper, so that the damaged environment remains a by-product of the Chinese economic breakthrough.
How to measure smog
Outwardly, the smoky fog is easily visible to the naked eye, so anyone can detect it. But how do you measure pollution? There is a so-called air quality index (AQI), which can range from 0 to 500 units. High rates indicate a high level of air pollution.
The air quality index in China is characterized by negative indicators. Almost the entire east and south of the country are marked on the map with indications from 151 to 200 units, which means unhealthy air: people in these regions face its negative consequences for their health.
A level from 201 to 300 means extremely harmful air for the population. There are also some areas in the north where pollution levels exceed 300 and are considered hazardous.
There are various measuring instruments of the quality of the atmosphere, taking into account the content of carbon dioxide, emissions of harmful substances. Their readings are broadcast online on special sites in real time. Smartphone apps have also emerged in China that continually broadcast air quality information.
The health effects of smog in China
Smog is very cunning. According to The Economist magazine, more than one and a half million people die from smog in the country every year, accounting for 17% of all deaths.
The incidence of lung cancer is growing in the country, and this is primarily the consequences of a disturbed ecology. According to statistics, at the beginning of the 21st century, there were 49 cases of such diseases in men and 30 among women per 100,000 population. And already in the second decade of the XXI century, these figures were 75 cases in men, 46 - among women.
It is believed that living and breathing in the Chinese capital is tantamount to smoking 2 packs of cigarettes daily.
In addition, according to British scientists, the air quality in Shanghai, Beijing and other large cities leads to the fact that babies are increasingly experiencing a decrease in birth weight. And the most tragic case - lung cancer in an 8-year-old child - shows that air pollution spares no one.
How the Chinese authorities are tackling the smog problem
For the Chinese authorities, the fight for clean air is becoming one of the most important tasks. The most difficult situation is in Beijing, so it is planned to get rid of 300,000 old-style cars in the coming years.
For this, new environmental standards are being developed, control over fuel quality is tightening, and the Chinese are being persistently offered to switch to public transport and modern cars. Currently, on some days of the week, cars with even numbers are allowed to go on the roads, on others - with odd numbers.
The capital is also home to the world's largest outdoor air purifier: smog enters the top of the tower, while clean air comes out from below. Many schools and kindergartens are equipped with similar, but more compact purifiers.
Enterprises are subject to fines of up to 500,000 yuan (over $ 73,500) for refusing to stop production during heavy smog. If the violation is repeated, the penalty is doubled and there is no upper limit for payments.
In addition, by 2021, China will invest 2.5 trillion yuan (about $ 400 billion) in renewable energy sources, which will eliminate 600 million tons of coal in the energy sector and slightly reduce harmful emissions.
What are the implications of smog for the future
The appearance over the largest cities of China and other countries of the atmosphere, supersaturated with carbon dioxide and mineral particles of the entire periodic table, leads to climate changes. Large areas of China may become unsuitable for farming and survival in general. This will cause huge waves of population migration.
Already today, during strong smogs in the open air, you can be only a few hours a day, and then with a respirator mask. In the future, the situation can only get worse.
Air sellers are already emerging today offering bottles of clean fresh air that can take up to 200 breaths. Further oxygen deficiency can lead to the extinction of entire regions.
The negative impact of smog on the development and bearing of the fetus, on the health of children is another serious problem. China, famous for its birth rate, in the near future may face a significant decline in the number of healthy newborns in large cities.
Conclusion
Smog in China, as in the rest of the world, appears over major cities and industrial regions. Its level reaches dangerous values. Such an atmosphere causes fatal diseases, is fatal to children, is a danger to plants and animals, and in the future it threatens even greater problems.
The Chinese authorities are making efforts to deal with this formidable phenomenon, but so far they are not enough. The health of the Chinese is seriously deteriorating from air pollution, and deaths from diseases caused by smog are increasing.
