China’s latest action plan against air pollution contains many promising elements. However, stronger follow-up measures and consequences for non-compliance are needed. Immediate changes and public voiced are needed to change the current situation.

 

It was during the run-up to the 2008 Olympics that Beijing’s air pollution drew worldwide media attention for the first time. One of the most significant cases was that of Harbin in the North East of China. Levels of the PM2.5 reached 500 in October 2013, the highest possible level on the scale. Visibility dropped to less than 10 meters in part of the city. Schools and the airport remained closed due to the smog for three days in a row.

 

Although the authority seemed to neglect the air issue before, now both the Chinese leadership and public have shifted their focus to this issue. In 2008, the US embassy in Beijing started tweeting the level of air pollution every hour. Even though the tweets were initially censured in China, the measurements led to increased openness in China about the issue and forced the Chinese leadership to act. Chinese media reports on the problem of air pollution have increased greatly. The Chinese authorities began releasing their own measurements comprehensively in January 2012.

 

President Xi Jinping has also recognized the urgency of the situation by stating that ‘the government must create a system of accountability.’ He further called for ‘lifetime responsibility of officials who make blind decisions that cause serious consequences due to negligence towards the environment.’

 

The Chinese public has also become increasingly alert about the subject. Air pollution was among the greatest concerns highlighted by the survey – along with rising prices, inequality, and corrupt officials. The smog in China’s cities has also become a topic of heated debate on Weibo, the Chinese Twitter.

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