A Smoggy Shade of Winter

As most of you know, large portions of China suffer from widespread pollution and dense smog. Today, December 7th, the Chinese government issued the first ever red alert pollution warning in Beijing. Authorities expect this red alert to last more than three consecutive days, during which all outdoor construction will be halted and all schools will be closed. Similar to the oil crisis of 1979, cars with odd and even number plates will be prohibited from driving on alternate days within the Beijing area.

China’s history with pollution is no different than the pollution of major cities around the world. The one thing that separates China is that it is the world’s worst polluter and several of its densely populated cities are shrouded in possibly fatal pollution. Along with the burning of fossil fuels and vehicle emissions, the lack of humidity and wind in Beijing has contributed to this most recent (and possibly worst) instance of pollution. Coincidentally, a global climate change conference in Paris is being held, with China’s President Xi Jinping in attendance. Despite China’s striving to find cleaner, renewable energy, their present issues of pollution will not go away anytime soon. One can only hope that one day the pollution will decrease drastically, and that the residents of Beijing and all of China’s cities remain safe.