China, Pollution and the Olympics

In most cases, rapid economic growth seems to come with environmental problems. Anyone who has visited a large city in China will tell you how terrible the smog is. Standing in one building in Shanghai and looking out the window, you often can’t see any of the neighboring buildings.

Smog is the one pollution problem which visitors (like business travellers) notice right away. Investigating journalists, however, have developed a litany of issues that would make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The online version of the New York Times has run a series of articles on this subject.

One article covers the pollution problems in Beijing and how the city of 12 million is attempting to clear up the skies for this summer’s Olympic Games. As part of the package for winning the Summer Olympics, Beijing committed to cleaning things up. According to the NY Times, progress has been made in the past few years, including closing down the worst pollution-generating factories, moving others out of town and cleaning up a number of coal-burning electricity plants with better technology. But during the same period, the number of people, construction sites and cars in Beijing has increased, adding to the pollution problems.

The government still has a number of tricks up its sleeve to clear the air in time for the Olympics: factory closings and traffic limitations are being planned. Chinese meteorologists are also studying ways to manipulate the weather and keep the smog away. Scary.

I can hear the commentary at the Games now:

“Another beautiful day here in Beijing, Bill!”

“That’s right, Jim! It’s been great ever since the athletes started arriving! That big fan down on the western edge of the stadium is a technological marvel, blowing at 10,000 rpms, it is keeping all the smog away…”

Photo of Beijing Olympic Stadium in the smog by Ming the Merciless.