Meghan Hodges
Beijing has long been known for its poor air quality, with the city's pollution levels reaching crisis point in recent years. The Chinese government has been attempting to tackle the issue, with varying levels of success. However, the pollution in Beijing continues to be a serious problem, with harmful consequences for the health of its residents, especially children. In this paragraph, we will explore the impact of Beijing's pollution on the city's youngest residents and examine the measures being taken to mitigate this issue.
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What You'll Learn
The impact of pollution on children's health
Beijing's air pollution has been described as an airpocalypse, with the city's atmosphere deemed almost uninhabitable for human beings. The air quality is so poor that it has been described as akin to running through bonfire smoke. The causes of Beijing's air pollution include an enormous economic boom, a surge in the number of motor vehicles, population growth, manufacturing output, and natural reasons such as the city's topography and seasonal weather.
The impact of this pollution on children's health is significant. Schools are adopting emergency measures, such as cancelling outdoor physical education classes and building artificial bubbles with air filtration systems to simulate a normal environment. Hospitals in northern China have reported a large number of patients with respiratory illnesses during periods of high air pollution, with half of the 9,000 patients Beijing Children's Hospital admitted in one day seeking treatment for respiratory problems.
Children are more susceptible to the effects of air pollution than adults due to developmental and behavioural reasons. Their lungs are still growing, and their respiratory defences are not yet fully developed. Additionally, children tend to spend more time outdoors, taking deeper breaths and thus inhaling more polluted air. The long-term effects of air pollution on children's health are concerning, with one study suggesting that the average 18-year-old Beijinger will spend up to 40% of their remaining years in ill health, suffering from cancer, cardiovascular or respiratory disease.
The pollution problem in Beijing has led to a trend of middle- and upper-class Chinese parents and expatriates leaving the country, with some foreign parents turning down prestigious job offers or negotiating hardship pay, citing pollution as a major factor. The Chinese government has recognised the severity of the issue, with Premier Li Keqiang vowing to clean up the environment and encouraging the public to hold him accountable. However, it remains to be seen whether these promises will be fulfilled, as local officials and businesses often prioritise economic growth over environmental protection.
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Air quality and the measures to improve it
Beijing's air quality has been described as an "airpocalypse", with the city's atmosphere deemed "almost uninhabitable for human beings". The city's air pollution is caused by a number of factors, including an enormous economic boom, a surge in the number of motor vehicles, population growth, manufacturing output, and natural reasons such as the city's topography and seasonal weather.
The consequences of this poor air quality are significant, particularly for children. Respiratory illnesses are common, and schools have adopted emergency measures such as cancelling outdoor physical education classes and investing in infrastructure to provide a safe space for children to be active indoors. Some international schools have gone to the extreme of building artificial bubbles to simulate a normal environment beneath the smog.
The Chinese government has recognised the severity of the problem and has announced plans to tackle Beijing's pollution. In 2013, the government announced it would spend 100 billion yuan (US $20 billion) over three years to address the issue. More recently, Premier Li Keqiang vowed to clean up the environment and encouraged the public to hold him personally accountable. However, it remains to be seen whether these promises will be delivered upon, as local officials and businesses often ignore or try to skirt environmental policies, and Beijing continues to rate the job performance of local officials primarily on GDP growth rather than environmental protection.
To improve air quality in Beijing, a range of measures need to be implemented. Firstly, stricter emission standards for vehicles are essential, as emissions from motor vehicles contribute to nearly 70% of the city's air pollution. Secondly, outdated and inefficient technologies used by coal-burning factories on the outskirts of the city need to be updated to reduce their contribution to smog. Thirdly, population growth must be addressed, as Beijing's population has doubled over the past century, leading to increased pollution. Finally, natural factors such as the city's topography can be mitigated by using advanced technologies to disperse smog and pollutants, such as wind turbines or air purification towers.
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The effect of pollution on children's outdoor activities
Beijing has long been known for its high levels of air pollution, with the city experiencing an "airpocalypse" in the winter of 2011-2012. The situation has become so severe that some have described Beijing's atmosphere as almost "uninhabitable for human beings".
The pollution in Beijing has had a significant impact on the health and well-being of children. Schools have had to adopt emergency measures, such as cancelling outdoor physical education classes and investing in infrastructure to provide a safe space for children to exercise. Hospitals in northern China have reported a large number of patients with respiratory illnesses during periods of high air pollution, with Beijing Children's Hospital admitting up to 9,000 patients a day for emergency visits, half of them for respiratory problems.
The developmental stage of children makes them more susceptible to the effects of air pollution. Their lungs are still growing, and their respiratory defenses are not yet fully developed, making them more vulnerable to infections. Additionally, children tend to be more active and spend more time outdoors, taking deeper breaths and inhaling more polluted air.
The pollution has also led to a decrease in outdoor activities among children. Parents have become anxious about the impact of pollution on their children's health, opting for indoor play spaces and checking the daily air quality index before planning outdoor activities. This reduction in outdoor play has resulted in concerns about the physical health of children, with reports of school kids becoming less active and gaining weight.
The Chinese government has recognized the severity of the problem and has announced plans to address air pollution and improve air quality. However, there are challenges to implementing these measures effectively, and it remains to be seen if these efforts will succeed in reducing pollution levels and improving the health and well-being of Beijing's children.
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The causes of Beijing's air pollution
Beijing's air pollution is caused by a combination of factors, including industrial pollution, transportation emissions, coal power plants, and household fuel usage.
Industrial pollution, including emissions from manufacturing and export industries, contributes significantly to the poor air quality in Beijing. The burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal, in factories and power plants, releases harmful pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Beijing's unique topography, surrounded by mountains, traps the pollution within the city, further exacerbating the problem.
The rapid increase in motor vehicles on Beijing's roads has also played a major role in air pollution. Emissions from vehicles contribute to nearly 70% of the city's air pollution, with newly introduced cars emitting more pollutants than older models due to lower emission standards. Population growth in Beijing has added to the problem, with the city's population swelling from 11 million to 16 million in just 7 years.
The impact of air pollution on the health of Beijing's residents, especially children, has been significant. Respiratory illnesses, lung cancer rates, and other cardiovascular diseases have increased due to exposure to fine particles in polluted air. The pollution has also led to lower birth rates and higher adult mortality rates.
To address the air pollution crisis, Beijing implemented a four-color alert system based on the air quality index (AQI) in 2013. This system was revised in 2016 to increase the levels of pollution required to trigger orange and red alerts, standardizing alert levels across multiple cities. The 2008 Olympic Summer Games and the 2013 clean air action plan also catalyzed the implementation of temporary measures and policies to curb air pollution.
While some progress has been made, air pollution in Beijing remains a critical issue, affecting the quality of life and lifespan of its residents.
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The correlation between economic growth and pollution
It is well-established that economic growth and pollution are correlated. However, the nature of this relationship is complex and has been the subject of much research and debate.
The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory, first proposed by Grossman, Krueger, and Panayotou, suggests that there is an "inverted U-shaped" relationship between income level and environmental degradation. In the early stages of economic growth, pollution increases as industrial activity and energy-intensive production rise. However, beyond a certain level of development, the trend reverses, and economic growth leads to improved environmental conditions. This is often attributed to the development of service industries, knowledge-based technologies, increased environmental awareness, and stricter environmental regulations.
Research by Vandenbroucke and Zhu supports the EKC hypothesis. They found that while pollution increases with economic growth, it does so at a slower rate. Specifically, they observed that between 1990 and 2014, CO2 emissions increased by 0.4% annually, while GDP per capita grew at a faster rate of 1.4%. This indicates that economic growth can occur with relatively lower emissions. Additionally, they noted a negative correlation between GDP per capita and particulate matter (PM2.5), suggesting that higher income levels can lead to reduced particulate matter emissions.
However, the relationship between economic growth and pollution varies across regions. Studies comparing China and South Korea found regional differences, with metropolitan areas exhibiting an inverted U-shaped pattern and non-metropolitan areas showing a U-shaped pattern. Additionally, economic growth in less developed regions had a stronger association with increased pollutant emissions compared to developed regions.
In the case of Beijing, pollution has been a significant concern, with reports of smog, poor air quality, and respiratory issues among children. The impact of pollution has led to behavioural changes, such as the use of face masks, indoor activities, and the purchase of air purifiers. While there have been efforts to improve air quality, the historical data indicates that Beijing has consistently had high levels of pollution, affecting the health and well-being of its residents, particularly children.
In summary, the correlation between economic growth and pollution is complex and multifaceted. While economic growth can contribute to pollution, the relationship is not linear, and various factors, such as regional differences, industrial development, and environmental policies, play a role in shaping the specific nature of this correlation.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Beijing's air pollution is really that bad. In 2013, the city suffered its smoggiest March in 52 years, and the air quality has only improved slightly since then. The air pollution in Beijing is caused by a variety of factors, including an enormous economic boom, a surge in the number of motor vehicles, population growth, output from manufacturing, and natural reasons such as the city's surrounding topography and seasonal weather.
Beijing's air pollution has been shown to have negative effects on children's health and well-being. Schools have had to adopt emergency measures, such as cancelling outdoor physical education classes and building artificial bubbles to simulate a normal environment, to protect students from the harmful effects of air pollution. Children's hospitals in northern China have also reported a large number of patients with respiratory illnesses during periods of high air pollution.
The Chinese government has announced plans to invest 100 billion yuan (US $20 billion) over three years to tackle Beijing's pollution problems. They have also vowed to set binding PM 2.5 targets and improve gasoline emission standards. However, it remains to be seen whether these plans will be effectively implemented, as local officials and businesses often ignore or try to skirt environmental policies.
Individuals can take several measures to protect themselves from Beijing's air pollution. Some people choose to wear face masks, use air purifiers, and check the daily air quality index to plan outdoor activities accordingly. However, these solutions may not be accessible or affordable for everyone. Ultimately, reducing air pollution in Beijing will require collective action and systemic changes.
