Ademlucht in Peking serieus verbeterd door diverse maatregelen.

[Micele]

Een vergelijk Peking met Delhi (India) ook een metropool met meer inwoners dan Nederland.

In India waren de maatregelen veel minder. Bovendien is India na Europa het meest verdieselde werelddeel.

De Air Quality Index (AQI) van Peking daalde alvast van 144 naar 92, en de grootste daling was in de beginjaren, vanaf 2013 tem 2019, na mini-dipje corona bleef het peil wel op 92, want de economie groeide natuurlijk ook significant verder (dus ondanks meer energievraag niet meer vervuilende lucht).

De AQI van Delhi daalde in dezelfde jaren 2015-2024 slechts van goed 170 naar 155. (zie grafiek in bijlage). Dat wil zeggen dat Delhi na bijna 10 jaar nog altijd niet het oude niveau van Peking van 2015 bereikt heeft.

https://www.civilsdaily.com/news/bei...air-pollution/

Air Pollution

Beijing’s War Against Air Pollution

Why in the News?

In 2015, Beijing had an annual average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 144, comparable to Delhi’s current average of 155 in 2024. However, Beijing has since achieved a one-third reduction in its pollution levels, with the most notable decline occurring between 2013 and 2017.

Why discuss Beijing in the context of Delhi?

The comparison between Beijing and Delhi is significant due to their shared status as capitals of emerging economies facing severe air pollution challenges.

Similar Pollution Levels: In 2015, Beijing had an average AQI of 144, comparable to Delhi’s current average of 155 for 2024. This similarity highlights the potential for improvement in Delhi, as Beijing has successfully reduced its pollution levels significantly since then.

Common Sources of Pollution: Both cities experience high pollution from similar sources, including vehicular emissions, coal combustion, and industrial activities. The regional contributions to air quality issues are also significant in both cases, particularly during winter months.

Need for Collective Action: Just as Beijing required a coordinated effort across its region to combat pollution, Delhi must engage neighboring areas in a collective strategy to effectively address its air quality crisis.

What did Beijing do and how did it achieve it?

Phased and Strategic Planning: Implemented a 20-year anti-pollution programme in three phases (1998-2017) with local government autonomy and public participation to ensure gradual and sustainable progress.

1998-2008: Initial groundwork.

2009-2012: Strengthening regulations.

2013-2017: Aggressive measures termed the “war against air pollution.

Energy Sector Transition: Shifted from coal to cleaner energy by renovating power plants, eliminating coal boilers, and replacing residential coal heating, reducing major emissions.

Transportation Reforms: Upgraded public transport infrastructure, introduced emission controls in vehicles, and phased out polluting vehicles with subsidies, reducing transportation-based pollutants.

Regional Collaboration and Investment: Partnered with five neighboring provinces for coordinated pollution control and increased financial investment sixfold to implement targeted measures effectively.

Financial Investment: A sixfold increase in investment over four years supported these initiatives, allowing for significant infrastructure improvements and regulatory enforcement.

As a result of these efforts, major pollutants like sulfur dioxide and PM2.5 saw significant reductions (e.g., PM2.5 decreased by 59% between 2013-2017).