The new People’s Daily Headquarters is seen in heavy smog on December 7, 2015 in Beijing.
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China’s capital has issued its first ever red alert for pollution, as the city government warned that Beijing would be shrouded in heavy smog until Thursday. The alert is the highest in the four-level system put in place to measure air pollution and it is the first time it has been implemented in Beijing.
For the first time since it instituted a warning system in 2013, Beijing has issued a “red alert” over unsafe levels of air pollution.
Beijing smog, containing more then 10 times the recommended concentration limit of PM 2.5, a poisonous particle prompts Beijing to issue a red alert.
Together with the closing of schools and limiting cars registered in the city to driving every other day, many other regulations on businesses and private individuals also kick in to try to reduce the dust and other particulate matter in 23-million strong Beijing.
Public authorities informed that 30 percent of all government cars will not be allowed to travel in the city.
In theory, a red alert should be issued when an air-quality index reading above 300, the cutoff for “severely polluted”, is expected for three or more consecutive days. The red alert is the highest level of warning and Authorities who had previously issued a warning concerning the incident have said it will be enforced till Thursday. Users on China’s popular Weibo micro-blog have traced the shapes of famous Beijing landmarks on to photographs as a helpful, tongue-in-cheek guide. Instead the smog will last longer; as the cold front we predicted for Thursday, will weaken.
Images of Chinese citizens walking the streets of Beijing and other cities with face masks affixed are commonplace, but as bad as it sometimes gets, China’s capital hasn’t maxed out its alert level – until now. The World Health Organisation considers 25 micrograms safe for human health.
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Ahead of the Paris Climate meet, China’s Environment Minister Chen Jining said last month that that his country reached the pollution reduction targets for major pollutants outlined in its 12th five-year plan, six months ahead of schedule. The state-run Xinhua News Agency carried a picture of Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium used in the 2008 Summer Olympics enshrouded in a curtain of gray smog.
