Authorities in India and China have warned their populations that air pollution in some cities has reached near record levels, particularly in Delhi and Beijing. The problem is getting worse and not better. Based on World Health Organization (WHO) research and more recent data, air quality in some cities in the two most populous nations, and Pakistan, is dangerous and getting more dangerous.
According to the Times of India:
Central Pollution Control Board’s national air quality index bulletin showed “severe” air quality in Delhi for three consecutive days. In such cases an emergency is declared in Beijing, kindergartens and schools are closed. Industries are also directed to shut down temporarily.
Such measures do not shut down these cities, but greatly raise the health stakes and chances industries and use of autos can expand. As a matter of fact, such high levels are a drag on the economy as well has health dangers.
Air pollution in Beijing reached hazardous levels on Saturday as smog engulfed large parts of China despite efforts to clean up the foul air.
At noon, the U.S. Embassy in Beijing reported the level of the poisonous, tiny articles of PM2.5 at 391 micrograms per cubic meter. The World Health Organization considers the safe level at 25 micrograms per cubic meter of the particulates.
Recently, the WHO measured air pollution in 1,600 cities in 91 countries. Air pollution levels were unusually high in a dozen cities in China. India had 17 cities with dangerous levels. The problem was nearly as bad in Pakistan and Iran.
The reality of the problem is that it will not be solved. The countries in trouble cannot afford solutions, which fall mostly into three categories. One is the number of homes that are heated by coal or wood. The next is factories that are not built to keep air pollution at lower levels. The last is autos and trucks, the use of which is only growing as the countries move ever more people to cities and trade in transportation like bicycles for gas- and diesel-burning engines
The recent alarms about high air pollution in large Chinese and Indian cities will only get worse.
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