20151209 BBC_First person: Family evacuated from Beijing as threat looms

At the age of 4, my daughter has become an environmental refugee.

To escape the heavy smog that started to blanket the capital city late Monday, my mother-in-law, 63, and my little girl, accompanied by my husband, boarded the train early Tuesday morning for my hometown of Nanjing, an eastern city about 1,000 kilometers away.

Unlike traditional tragic refugee trips, the journey was a happy one. Having no idea of all the possible hazards that smog could cause to her, my daughter appeared very chirpy at the railway station for being able to skip kindergarten for a few days, and in Nanjing, she could see her beloved grandmother.

"It's like a holiday. I like it!" she said.

"Do you know why Mom is sending you away?" I asked.

"It's so dirty here. The sky doesn't wash its face these days."

I'm now the only person in my family staying in Beijing. As expected, I will endure the smog for another two days, and possibly some more days when a new round of smog hits the city starting this weekend.

Sending my family away was a rush decision. After the red alert came on Monday evening, it took us five minutes to make the decision, another five minutes to book the train tickets by mobile phone, and 30 minutes to pack. At 6 am on Tuesday, while the sky was still dark, they departed.

"We cannot make any change (to the air quality), but we can escape," my husband said.

And I'm not alone. A friend of mine took her 2-year-old son to Shanghai on Tuesday, and another friend flew with her 10-year-old daughter to the southern city of Guangzhou, where a lovely safari park is located.

Travel agencies said there's an uptick in demand. Ctrip.com, an online travel service, said its sales of "Skip the Smog" packages have seen a 20 percent rise among Beijing residents. The trips range from nearby cities to as far away as Southeast Asian countries.

As the capital of China and an ancient city world famous for its Forbidden City and Great Wall, Beijing is now losing some appeal due to the lingering air pollution problem. Some of my friends, who were scared by the previous round of smog that pushed the city's PM2.5 reading above 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter last week, are seriously considering moving abroad.

"I know the government is making great efforts to improve the air quality and it is taking effect, but the progress will be slow and the harm is unalterable," said a college classmate of mine, who now runs a small private equity fund in Beijing and is considering going to the United States for investment immigration.

"I don't want any of my family members to end up with lung cancer."

I'm also starting to ponder whether settling in this city 15 years ago, amid the admiration and envy of my friends back in Nanjing, was a good choice.

At that time, I came to Beijing for the abundant chances brought by the country's rapid development, and now I'm sending my child away due to the consequences of this growth.

20151208 BBC_China smog red alert

http://www.bbc.com/weather/features/35031258

Beijing on red alert as smog levels soar but Delhi branded the most polluted city as particulates build up over the city.

The Indian government has announced it will restrict the number of cars it will allow in the capitals streets to try to reduce the chocking smog.

20151208 China Daily_Beijing issues first red alert for heavy air pollution

The CCTV headquarters is shrouded in heavy smog in the central business district in Beijing, China Dec 7, 2015.[Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Beijing has upgraded its alert for air pollution from orange to red, the most serious level, on Monday afternoon.

This is the first time the capital has issued the red alert, which will last from 7:00 a.m. Tuesday to 12:00 pm Thursday.

Beijing's Education Commission has decided to suspend classes in all elementary and middle schools, kindergartens and extracurricular training schools during the alert. Teachers are encouraged to give learning advices to students via Internet and other communication tools.

Car use will be limited as cars are allowed on the roads on alternating days depending on the odd or even numbers of their license plates. In addition, 30 percent of government cars will be banned from streets on an odd/even basis.

According to the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center, heavy air pollution will linger until Thursday. It is expected to disperse Thursday afternoon as a cold front arrives.

This is the first time Beijing has issued a red alert for smog since 2013 when Beijing adopted an emergency response program for air pollution.

Four-tier alerts--blue, yellow, orange and red--will be issued on "heavy pollution" days. Red alert, the highest, will be issued for heavy pollution that is expected to last more than three days.

According to the city's emergency management headquarters, during a red alert, kindergartens, primary and high schools are advised to suspend classes, and outdoor operations of construction sites are banned and some industrial plants are required to limit or stop production.

Chinese Environment Minister Chen Jining has vowed to strictly punish agencies or personnel who fail to initiate emergency response plan in a timely manner.

Local environment protection agencies, especially those in Beijing, Tianjing, Hebei, Shandong, Henan and Shanxi which are constantly haunted by air pollution, should examine their emergency response measures and reflect upon deficiencies, said Chen on Sunday at an emergency meeting to cope with the upcoming smoggy days.

Strict standards and practical work styles should be adopted to deal with the upcoming days, he ordered.

The minister asked local governments to initiate appropriate emergency responses according to the highest level of forecasted pollution.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has dispatched inspection teams to regions with heavy pollution to ensure emergency plans are being launched in time, monitor and control pollution sources such as coal burning, and enhance management on vehicles that cannot meet national emission standards.

A woman walks by a river near the Imperial Palace on a smoggy day in Beijing. [Photo by Zou Hong/Asianewsphoto] Buildings are pictured amid heavy smog in Beijing, China, Dec 7, 2015.[Photo/Xinhua]

20151204 China Daily_Two more spells of smog predicted to sweep North China

Cities in North China are forecast to experience another two spells of smog in the coming weeks due to windless weather, but not as severe as the one that enveloped Beijing since Nov 27, the national weather authority said on Thursday.

The first spell is expected to arrive on Tuesday and last for three days before a new cold front arrives, said Liu Hongli, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences.

He added after the wind, a second spell of smog may come between Dec 14 and 16, covering the vast region of northern China including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.

Xue Jianjun, senior engineer of the National Meteorological Center agreed, adding that the two spells of smog would occur between the intervals in wind, and southern cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region may have severe air pollution during them.

On average, the trilateral region will not have smog as severe as that which covered the region late last month until the wind dispersed pollutants on Wednesday, Xue said.

The capital has seen the concentration of PM2.5 – particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns – off the charts, exceeding 945 micrograms per cubic meter on Sunday.

The national safety level for the PM2.5 concentration is 75 micrograms per cubic meter.

20151204_China Daily_Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei govts to cooperate on emissions control

Environmental officials ensure production is suspended at a concrete mixing plant in Tongzhou district in Beijing on Monday as the city suffered from severe pollution. LIU CHANG/CHINA DAILY

The heavily polluted cluster of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province signed a cooperation framework on Thursday to control air, water and soil pollution, marking a breakthrough in regional integration, according to a statement released by the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.

The move set up a new joint coordination system to curb serious smog, and included a plan to create the first unified regulation on the control and prevention of environmental pollution in the region as a whole－including plans for the management of industries likely to affect air, water, soil and solid waste, said Li Lixin, head of the bureau's regional cooperation department.

In addition, the trilateral region will develop standards for emissions. Beijing currently has stricter standards than Hebei and Tianjin for emissions in major polluting industries and for vehicle exhaust.

The three will also conduct joint monitoring and inspections and share information on an environmental monitoring network, Li said.

Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province have faced severe air pollution since 2013. The recent spell of smog that settled in to the region last week underlined the governments' need to take action quickly.

Half of the air pollutants in Beijing come from neighboring cities, Liu Hongli, associate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, said on Thursday. Without effective regional control, it's hard to control the smog, he said.

In recent days, the capital saw the concentration of PM2.5 go off the air index charts, exceeding 945 micrograms per cubic meter on Sunday. The national safety level for PM2.5－particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 microns that poses health hazards to humans－is 75 micrograms per cubic meter.

In December, the trilateral region is forecast to have another two spells of heavy haze because of windless weather, but not as hazardous as the recent one that lingered until Wednesday, the national weather authority said.

The first spell is expected on Tuesday and will likely last for three days before a new cold front will again bring wind to North China, Liu said.

He added that a second spell of smog might come between Dec 14 and 16, covering a vast region of northern China.

Xue Jianjun, senior engineer at the National Meteorological Center, said the two spells of smog will occur between intervals of wind, and the southern cities in the region may experience severe smog.

Polluters to pay for damage

China will start a compensation system for ecological damage in some pilot provinces by the end of this year, with a view toward expanding it to the whole country in 2018 if successful.

The State Council published the pilot plan, the first national regulation of its kind, on Thursday, saying the system will be tried and improved as needed.

Provincial governments can ask for compensation when natural resources within their jurisdictions have been damaged. Companies, organizations or individuals responsible for the pollution will bear the burden of compensation.

Pollution caused by the mistakes of decision-makers in governments will be excluded.

Under the plan, compensation would cover the costs of environmental remediation and any economic losses arising from the cleanup process itself or any permanent losses.

Financial institutions such as banks will also be the targets of compensation if they give polluters loans knowing the risks of ecological damage.

The pilot plan also out-lines a process for governments to file lawsuits, make assessment reports and create rules to strengthen management after receiving compensation.

20150915 BBC_Haze chokes Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionThe capital of Indonesia's Riau province, Pekanbaru, has been cloaked in dense haze for weeks

Smoke from huge forest fires in Indonesian has created a cloud of smog over the country, which has spread over neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

The fires, which happen every year, are caused by slash-and-burn clearances on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

Paper and palm oil companies have been widely blamed for the practice.

Indonesia, which has repeatedly promised to stop the illegal fires, has sent hundreds of military personnel to try to put them out.

It has declared a state of emergency in Riau province, where the haze has been building for several weeks and pollution levels are hazardous to health.

In Malaysia, schools have been closed in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and several other areas, while Singaporeans are being advised to avoid strenuous activity outdoors.

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionMany people have left Pekanbaru but others have struggled on through the haze

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionIndonesia has sent around 1,000 troops to fight fires in southern Sumatra

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionIt has promised, and failed, to end the seasonal fires many times in the past

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionPulp, paper and palm oil companies that own large forest concessions in southern Sumatra are often blamed for illegal fires

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionIn the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, there was rooftop swimming under hazy skies

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionThe Malaysian prime minister also had to endure the haze, which enveloped his office building

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionMost - but not all - Singaporeans stayed indoors, as their Environment Agency raised the pollution index to its highest level in a year

Image copyrightSimeon Paterson

Image captionSingapore's National Stadium was barely visible from the BBC's studios

Image copyrightGetty Images

Image captionThe haze could obscure all but track-side views at this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix - officials say they are monitoring the situation.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34242311

20150915 BBC_What causes South East Asia's haze?

Forest fires in Indonesia have resulted in a smoky haze that is blanketing the region and affecting neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

The BBC explains what causes the haze, and what makes it such a contentious issue.

What's causing the haze?

Both the haze and the controversy around it have intensified in recent years.

Every year Indonesia sees agriculture fires in Riau province in East Sumatra, South Sumatra, and parts of Kalimantan.

Image copyrightNASA EOSDIS

Image captionNasa satellite data shows multiple fires in mid-September 2015 in the eastern part of Sumatra island and the southern part of Kalimantan island of Indonesia

The fires are said to be caused by corporations in the palm oil, pulp and paper industries, as well as small-scale farmers who use the illegal slash-and-burn method to clear vegetation.

The fires often spin out of control and spread into protected forested areas.

The problem has only accelerated as the cleared land becomes drier, which in turn becomes more highly likely to catch fire the next time round.

Why is it an issue?

The haze gets blown north and westwards across affected Indonesian provinces, as well as towards Malaysia and Singapore, causing a significant deterioration in air quality.

Image copyrightAP

Image captionThe haze has blanketed many parts of Malaysia including the centre of government Putrajaya...

Image copyrightReuters

Image caption...and the whole of Singapore, affecting key tourist attractions like Gardens by the Bay

It can be a health hazard, and at its peak it has prompted school closures, flight cancellations and virtual shutdowns of towns and cities.

Singapore and Indonesia use the Pollutants Standards Index (PSI) to measure air quality, while Malaysia uses the similar Air Pollutants Index (API). On both indices, a reading that is above 100 is classified as unhealthy and anything above 300 is hazardous.

Indonesia recently declared a state of emergency in Riau province - one of its towns, Pekanbaru, saw a PSI reading of 984.

Malaysia declared a state of emergency in 2013, when a southern district saw readings of more than 750 API.

What makes it so dangerous?

Besides irritating the respiratory tract and the eyes, pollutants in the haze can cause serious long-term damage to health.

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionFace masks have become a common sight in the region

The indices used to measure air quality in the region usually measure particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone.

PM2.5 is considered the most dangerous as it can enter deeper into the lungs. It has been associated with causing respiratory illnesses and lung damage.

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionAuthorities in Singapore have encouraged residents to use special masks that can filter out PM2.5

What is being done to stop it?

Indonesia has been dumping millions of litres of water in affected areas and has sent in the army to help firefighters put out the fires.

Indonesia and Malaysia have also conducted cloud-seeding to induce rain, while Singapore has pledged assistance to help put out fires.

Image copyrightEPA

Image captionHelicopters in Indonesia have been water bombing areas with fires

Indonesia has for years promised to step up enforcement. Under President Joko Widodo, it has named 10 corporations as suspects, and said it is investigating more than 100 individuals.

In 2002, all 10 South East Asian countries signed an agreement to combat the issue through greater monitoring and encouragement of sustainable development, but efforts have been limited.

Why has it been so difficult to stop?

Indonesia has long struggled to police the vast rural expanse in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Image copyrightReuters

But Indonesia and environment rights activists also say it is not entirely to blame, as some of the corporations accused of illegal burning have Malaysian and Singaporean investors.

Singapore in 2014 passed a set of laws that allow it to prosecute individuals and companies that contribute to the haze, but it remains unclear how this law could be enforced.

There have also been name-and-shame campaigns and calls to boycott the products of the companies said to be contributing to the haze.

Image copyrightAFP

Image captionDousing out a peat fire is difficult as it can burn underground, and requires swamping the entire area with vast amounts of water

In the meantime Indonesian authorities continue to struggle to put out the fires, many of which have flared up on flammable and dry peat-rich areas.

A peat fire is difficult to put out as it can burn underground for months, and requires a lot of water to extinguish. Fires can spread underground and spring up in other places later.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34265922

20150318 China Daily_Shanghai prepares for clean air

Authorities say PM2.5 remains a big problem as it outlines 100 billion yuan action plan

Woman wear face masks on the Bund in front of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower during a hazy day in downtown Shanghai January 26, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Shanghai plans to invest 100 billion yuan ($16 billion) in its environmental protection drive for the coming three years, while reducing the concentration of PM2.5 by at least 20 percent from the level in 2013.

Those are part of the targets the municipal government outlined in an action plan for the period between 2015 and 2017.

One of the highlights of the plan, released on Tuesday, is the increase of capital invested to improve the environment from the average of 21.3 billion yuan in the past 15 years to an average of 33.3 billion yuan committed for the upcoming three years.

Improvements in air quality, water and the ecology will be the focus of the plan.

Measures to fight smog, for example, include shifting the coal-burning boilers and industrial furnaces to clean fuels, transforming power generators to reduce their emissions, phasing out high-polluting vehicles and putting in place further control on dust at construction sites.

Those efforts are expected to help reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide by 20,000 metric tons nitrogen oxide by 40,000 tons and volatile organic compounds by 100,000 tons.

Yang Xin, a professor at Fudan University's department of environmental science and engineering, called the action plan practical, saying that the government is moving in the right direction to address the biggest concerns of the public regarding the environment.

"In 2014, we saw a big drop in the concentration level of PM2.5 from the previous year," he said. "That makes the goal of a 20 percent reduction by 2017 not that difficult."

A man wears a face mask while walking on the Bund in front of the financial district of Pudong, during a hazy day in downtown Shanghai January 25, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

But the government needs to do more to make the public clearly see the improvement in the environment, he said.

"Lowering PM2.5 levels by 20 percent means a huge reduction of its harm on people's health. But it won't bring along great improvement in the visibility of the air, and visibility actually is the main benchmark for the public to judge air quality," he added.

Public perception

Most Shanghai residents questioned on Tuesday said air pollution worsened in 2014, though monitoring data suggested there was an improvement of air quality compared with 2013.

"I didn't feel an improvement at all. We often saw a gray sky caused by the smog," said 24-year-old Yu Canglong.

In the action plan, authorities admitted that PM2.5 and air pollution remain prominent problems, despite the overall improving environment in the city.

For the upcoming three years, the government also vowed to reduce the number of highly polluted water bodies, raise forestation coverage from 13.5 percent to 15.5 percent, and build a sewage disposal system for 90 percent of waste water in urban areas.

On the national level, the country is set to focus efforts this year on fully implementing the revised Environmental Protection Law, which took effect on Jan 1.

No one must use his power to meddle with law enforcement, Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday at a news conference following the closing of the annual session of the nation's top legislature.

"All acts of illegal production and emissions will be brought to account. We will make the cost for doing so too high to bear," he said.