Reuters AlertNet Lite - Olympics-Beijing sees "best run" of clear skies since 2000

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

Olympics-Beijing sees "best run" of clear skies since 2000

01 Feb 2008 12:33:34 GMT
Source: Reuters

BEIJING, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Beijing, struggling to control air pollution before the Olympic Games later this year, saw 22 "blue sky days" in January, its best record in a single month since 2000, state media said on Friday.

The Chinese capital's notorious pollution is a major concern for athletes and organisers of the Games that open on Aug. 8.

While much of central and southern China is suffering its worst snowfall in half a century, Beijing has remained cold but clear with sometimes brilliant blue skies.

January's 22 days "was the best run of clear days since the year 2000", the official Xinhua news agency said.

"Beijing Environment Protection Administration authorities said that persistent cold air was the major factor that kept the air clear, since updrafts and northerly winds helped disperse pollutants," it added.

"Another factor was the closure of more heavily-polluting industrial facilities in or near the capital," the report added.

The city only just met its target of 245 "blue sky days" in 2007, and has set a more ambitious target of at least 256 days with relatively good air quality in 2008.

Beijing's standard for a "blue sky day" has not been widely recognised by international scientists, and the air can appear smoggy even when officially it is a "blue sky day".

Olympic chief Jacques Rogge has said some events may have to be rescheduled if Beijing's air quality is not good enough. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Katie Nguyen)

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

NGO latest

• ACT Alert: Severe winter freezing and snow, China
ACT - Switzerland

• NRC Launches Asian emergency roster
NRC - Norway

• Children recognised in anti-trafficking policy
WV - Asia Pacific

• Protective action: Incorporating civilian protection into humanitarian reponse
HPG - UK

• World Vision Urges U.S. Congress to Reauthorize AIDS Relief Plan
WV - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

• Chinese vent anger online at snow relief efforts

• China snow leaves millions in cold and dark

• Japan hopes food scare won't poison ties with China

• World's big polluters note change in US climate stance

• FEATURE-Chinese farmers look for hope in rising prices

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Breaking stories

Olympics-Beijing sees "best run" of clear skies since 2000 (1 minute ago)

China snow leaves millions in cold and dark (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight

Climate change and conflicts: Is there a link at all? (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed

ACT Alert: Severe winter freezing and snow, China (1 minute ago)

Blogs

Seven security barriers you might want to know about (1 minute ago)

Maps

MAP: CHINA: Cold Wave - Jan 2008 (1 minute ago)

Country information

Facts & figures

China

Del.icio.us | Digg

Digg |

NewsVine | Reddit

Latest images

Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-31T102617Z_01_SHA03_RTRIDSP_2_CHINA-JAPAN-FOOD_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/SHA03.htm

Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-31T101823Z_01_SHA02_RTRIDSP_2_CHINA-JAPAN-FOOD_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/SHA02.htm

Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-30T152658Z_01_HPR03_RTRIDSP_2_AUSTRIA-PANDA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/HPR03.htm

Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-30T152517Z_01_HPR04_RTRIDSP_2_AUSTRIA-PANDA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/HPR04.htm

Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-30T152154Z_01_HPR02_RTRIDSP_2_AUSTRIA-PANDA_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/HPR02.htm

A worker waits for customers inside a dumpling store in downtown Shanghai January 31, 2008. China's quality watchdog has begun an investigation into how Chinese-made dumplings contaminated with pesticide made 10 ...

More pictures | Galleries

Last updated:Fri Feb 1 12:34:07 2008

NGO latest

Latest news

Related articles

Country information