Beijing Meets 2008 Clear Sky Deadline a Month Early
Wednesday, December 3, 2008 5:53
In yet another example of just how anything is possible in China (especially when you close factories by the dozens), the good folks in Biejing have announced that they have meet their 2008 blue sky air targets a month early.
As part of the clean air program, the authorities shifted most of the high-polluting plants, including that of steel giant Shougang Group, out of the city, and replaced them with green facilities. Stricter fuel emission rules, too, were implemented, with gas stations revamped to curb petroleum vaporization.
Beijing will launch tougher air cleaning programs from January 1 by shifting more coal-burning industries out of the city and banning heavy polluting cars.
For me, I am curious to see what next year will look like as Beijing took some extreme measures in clearing out the air in the months prior to the Olympics… and it involved shutting down plants and removing vehicles from surrounding provinces.
To keep that up would inevitably prove difficult, something we are already seeing difficulties even with in the capital
