TaiShang
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India should follow China in combating air pollution: WHO
CGTN
2018-05-03
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) recently updated global air pollution database shows India lagging behind in tackling the growing menace of dirty air. India is home to 14 out of 15 of the world's most polluted cities, with two of its most prominent cities being ranked in the top five polluted megacities.
While Delhi and Mumbai rank first and fourth respectively in the most polluted megacities with a population of above 14 million, Beijing ranks fifth. Cairo comes in second and Dhaka third. The list ranks cities on the basis of particulate matter, PM10 pollution.
“Many of the world’s megacities exceed WHO’s guideline levels for air quality by more than five times, representing a major risk to people’s health,” said Maria Neira, WHO's Director of the Department of Public Health.
In terms of extremely fine particulate matter PM2.5 pollution, the list of 15 most polluted cities does not include a single Chinese city – surprising given Beijing's reputation as a smoggy city. The most polluted cities in the world in this list include 14 from India: Kanpur, Faridabad, Varanasi, Gaya, Patna, Delhi, Lucknow, Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Patiala, and Jodhpur.
Air pollution experts claim that China – once notorious for choking smog – has been efficiently controlling fine particulate matters and other pollutants. Neira told Reuters that China had made big improvements that India should follow.
“We would be very happy if we would see a similar movement now in India which is one of the countries for which we are particularly concerned, although there are good initiatives which can be put in place quickly, still the levels are very high, and we would like to see a similar decision and leadership.” China controlled coal guzzlers like steel, power and cement plants to reduce air pollution. This winter, the country shifted from coal to a gas-based heating system.
WHO in a statement maintained that despite Indian cities failing to maintain ambient air quality, the government has taken a few significant steps to curb the pollution level.
“In just two years, India’s Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Scheme has provided some 37 million women living below the poverty line with free LPG connections to support them to switch to clean household energy use,” WHO said.
WHO estimates that around 90 percent of people worldwide breathe polluted air leading to seven million deaths from exposure to fine particles in the polluted air. These particles penetrate deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system, causing lethal diseases.
“More than 90 percent of air pollution-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, mainly in Asia and Africa, followed by low and middle-income countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region, Europe and the Americas,” WHO revealed.
Data from more than 4,300 cities in 108 countries are included in the ambient air quality database. Neira pointed out political interest is growing in the global public health sector. There is an increase in the number of cities recording air pollution data, reflecting a commitment to air quality assessment and monitoring.
“Most of this increase has occurred in high-income countries, but we hope to see a similar scale-up of monitoring efforts worldwide,” she added.
[Top Image: A view of atmosphere shrouded in smog resulting in air pollution and low visibility at Raisina Hill on November 13, 2017 in New Delhi, India. /VCG Photo]
***
That's the stupidest proposition I have ever heard.
Why would a democracy follow a dictatorship?
Rest of he world should follow SP12, not China, because SP12 is a democracy in SP12 characteristics.
CGTN
2018-05-03
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) recently updated global air pollution database shows India lagging behind in tackling the growing menace of dirty air. India is home to 14 out of 15 of the world's most polluted cities, with two of its most prominent cities being ranked in the top five polluted megacities.
While Delhi and Mumbai rank first and fourth respectively in the most polluted megacities with a population of above 14 million, Beijing ranks fifth. Cairo comes in second and Dhaka third. The list ranks cities on the basis of particulate matter, PM10 pollution.
“Many of the world’s megacities exceed WHO’s guideline levels for air quality by more than five times, representing a major risk to people’s health,” said Maria Neira, WHO's Director of the Department of Public Health.
In terms of extremely fine particulate matter PM2.5 pollution, the list of 15 most polluted cities does not include a single Chinese city – surprising given Beijing's reputation as a smoggy city. The most polluted cities in the world in this list include 14 from India: Kanpur, Faridabad, Varanasi, Gaya, Patna, Delhi, Lucknow, Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Patiala, and Jodhpur.
Air pollution experts claim that China – once notorious for choking smog – has been efficiently controlling fine particulate matters and other pollutants. Neira told Reuters that China had made big improvements that India should follow.
“We would be very happy if we would see a similar movement now in India which is one of the countries for which we are particularly concerned, although there are good initiatives which can be put in place quickly, still the levels are very high, and we would like to see a similar decision and leadership.” China controlled coal guzzlers like steel, power and cement plants to reduce air pollution. This winter, the country shifted from coal to a gas-based heating system.
WHO in a statement maintained that despite Indian cities failing to maintain ambient air quality, the government has taken a few significant steps to curb the pollution level.
“In just two years, India’s Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Scheme has provided some 37 million women living below the poverty line with free LPG connections to support them to switch to clean household energy use,” WHO said.
WHO estimates that around 90 percent of people worldwide breathe polluted air leading to seven million deaths from exposure to fine particles in the polluted air. These particles penetrate deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system, causing lethal diseases.
“More than 90 percent of air pollution-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, mainly in Asia and Africa, followed by low and middle-income countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region, Europe and the Americas,” WHO revealed.
Data from more than 4,300 cities in 108 countries are included in the ambient air quality database. Neira pointed out political interest is growing in the global public health sector. There is an increase in the number of cities recording air pollution data, reflecting a commitment to air quality assessment and monitoring.
“Most of this increase has occurred in high-income countries, but we hope to see a similar scale-up of monitoring efforts worldwide,” she added.
[Top Image: A view of atmosphere shrouded in smog resulting in air pollution and low visibility at Raisina Hill on November 13, 2017 in New Delhi, India. /VCG Photo]
***
That's the stupidest proposition I have ever heard.
Why would a democracy follow a dictatorship?
Rest of he world should follow SP12, not China, because SP12 is a democracy in SP12 characteristics.
