A thick fog covers pollution China’s capital, Beijing, for the first time the authorities declared red alert.
This means that the authorities have restrictions on vehicular traffic and some factories had to stop working .
While levels this week are not the highest ever recorded in the city, this is the first time the Chinese government declares red alert in the four-level system that took more than two years ago.
“Half the cars must stay parked. Today it’s up to those with odd car plates and even tomorrow, “says BBC correspondent in Beijing, John Sudworth.
also some schools must remain closed .
But even though the air is gray and ugly, the pollution index this week is much lower than last week, when the amount of toxic gases was high 40 times recommended by the World Health Organization levels.
Today is only ten times that level.
Why only now declares high alert? According Sudworth, inaction in the past by the authorities has been criticized .
“Last week, while their children fell sick in schools, people wondered what would happen for the government to take action, “he added.
This contamination is product a combination of factors .
energy systems based on coal and heating and vehicle emissions and dust from construction have contributed to this fog exacerbated by moisture and lack of wind.
The red alert in the decisive week of the UN climate summit in Paris where negotiators largest emitters of greenhouse gas, with China at the head must come to an agreement.
Air quality in China is a key factor in this new climate change agreement.
“A strong agreement in Paris not immediately solve the problem of air in China, but may play an important role solve the problem long term, “says the environment correspondent for the BBC, Matt McGrath, from the Paris summit.
Meanwhile Beijing residents are taking steps .
“You must do what you can to protect you,” says Li Huiwen to news agency Associated Press. “ Even with a mask I feel uncomfortable and I have a lot of energy .”
“This is a serious warning, it is time for us to deal seriously with air pollution,” he says meanwhile Fan Jinglong.
The impact is huge.
According to a study published this year popr the journal Nature has been 1.4 million premature deaths in China due to pollution .
The order will remain until 12.00 Thursday, when a cold front expected to clean the air.
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