Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Air Pollution News & Alerts - February 26th, 2013



Clean Air Asia, February, 2013
Beijing’s Air Pollution Episode (January 2013).

Global Times, February 26th, 2013
Environmental bureau takes aim at PM 2.5.

Financial Express, February 26th, 2013
Where Dhaka stands today.

China Daily, February 25th, 2013
London's air pollution policies may help Beijing.

Times of India, February 23rd, 2013
Pollution making Delhi winter days colder?

Shanghai Daily, February 23rd, 2013
Shanghai's PM2.5 in 2012 higher than national limits.

The Japan Times, February 23rd, 2013
Tokyo, Beijing to cooperate over China air pollution menace.

Hindustan Times, February 22nd, 2013
Indoor air pollution kills a million people every year in India.

China Daily, February 21st, 2013
Pollution will deter tourists.

Quartz, February 21st, 2013
China has a spectacularly silly new plan to fix its pollution problem.

All Africa, February 21st, 2013
Environmental and Health Issues Deserve Priority in Development Agenda.

Irish Times, February 20th, 2013
China has woken up to the smell of air pollution.

Bloomberg, February 20th, 2013
China to Impose Limits on Six Industries to Tackle Air Pollution.

Nature, Feburary 20th, 2013
Nitrogen pollution soars in China.

Global Times, February 20th, 2013
A breath of fresh air.

Energy Pulse, February 19th, 2013
CO Who? Nations Shift Focus Away From Number One Greenhouse Gas.

Slocat, February 19th, 2013
Clean Air Asia and GIZ issue report on Sustainable Urban Freight in Asian Cities.

Asian Correspondant, February 18th, 2013
SKorea blames China, trails Japan in air pollution stakes.

The Green Car, February 18th, 2013
London’s dirty old problem still hangs in the air. The Green Piece.
 Economic Times, February 17th, 2013
What Beijing's battle with air pollution tells us about China.

Hindustan Times, February 17th, 2013
Killer on the loose.

The Atlantic, Februrary 17th, 2013
In China, a New Year's Tradition Spurs a Debate Over Air Pollution.

DNA, February 17th, 2013
Pollution goes off the rails at stations.

The Atlantic, February 17th, 2013
In China, a New Year's Tradition Spurs a Debate Over Air Pollution.

The Guardian, February 16th, 2013
Chinese struggle through 'airpocalypse' smog.

NRDC Switchboard, February 15th, 2013
India Green News : Air Pollution Growing Deadlier, US-India rifts over Solar Mission.

Water Waorld, February 14th, 2012
India's Urban Environment: Air/Water Pollution and Pollution Abatement.

The Pioneer, February 14th, 2013
Delhi pollution leaves schoolchildren gasping for air.

Live Mint, February 14th, 2013
Outdoor air pollution claims 627,000 lives in India in 2010.

New York Times, February 14th, 2013
The Air That Kills in India.

DNA India, February 13th, 2013
Outdoor air pollution fifth largest killer in India.

Times of India, February 13th, 2013
Air pollution 5th largest killer in India.

Center for Science and Environment, February 13th, 2013
Air pollution is now the fifth largest killer in India, says newly released findings of Global Burden of Disease report.

Global Post, February 12th, 2013
Watch out, Beijing: Air pollution may lead to lower birth weights.

Policy Innovations, February 11th, 2013
Ma Jun: Information Empowers.

Climate Spectator, February 11th, 2013
Edis incorrect, China serious about curbing coal.

South China Morning Post, February 9th, 2013
Cactus needles give clues on how to battle smog.

Guardian, February 9th, 2013
Barack Obama 'cannot cut emissions without decisive new actions'.

NPR, February 8th, 2013
Automakers Drive Towards Hydrogen Cars.

Wall Street Journal, February 8th, 2013
New Japan-China Air Tensions: Smog.

US News, February 8th, 2013
Is China Big Coal's Cash Cow? Maybe Not.

Bloomberg, February 7th, 2013
China Car Industry ‘Scapegoat’ for Toxic Smog.

Shanghai Daily, February 7th, 2013
China upgrades petrol to combat air pollution.

Guardian, February 6th, 2013
What is the state of international climate talks?

Science Daily, February 6th, 2013
Predicting a Low Carbon Future for Toronto.

Science Daily, February 6th, 2013
Nitrogen from Pollution, Natural Sources Causes Growth of Toxic Algae.

Science Daily, February 6th, 2013
New Coal Technology Harnesses Energy Without Burning, Nears Pilot-Scale Development.

China Daily, February 4th, 2013
4,000 tons of pollution in Beijing air.

NPR, February 3rd, 2013
In China, A Breath Of Fresh Air (In A Can).

Asahi Shimbun, Feburary 3rd, 2013
Concern rises as China’s air pollution blown over Japan.

New York Times, February 3rd, 2013
Pollution in China - Cartoon.

NPR, February 1st, 2013
Are We Losing The Race Against Climate Change?

Forbes, January 31st, 2013
Why China Cannot Solve Its Pollution Problem.

Science Daily, January 21st, 2013
Smoke-Free Law Linked to Large Fall in Child Asthma Hospital Admissions.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Top 100 Cities with the Worst Air Quality in the World (WHO, 2011)

Update May, 2014 - a new report released by WHO
listing 37 cities in India in the top 100

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The database below is from a compilation put together by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2011, for all the cities with PM10 measurements since 2008.

Data is annual average PM10 concentrations in micro-gm/m3

India has 27 cities in the Top 100.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

How Bad is the Outdoor Air Quality in India?


Air pollution is now the fifth largest killer in India, says newly released findings of Global Burden of Disease report


Findings released by the scientists behind the study at a Dialogue Workshop organised by Centre for Science and Environment, Indian Council of Medical Research and US-based Health Effects Institute

Read the full press release.



Compare annual deaths and causes @ GBD vizhub

Annual premature deaths caused by particulate air pollution have increased by six times since the year 2000. With one fifth of global deaths, India shows the greatest impacts of outdoor air pollution. Globally, air pollution-related deaths have increased by 300 per cent since 2000. About 65 per cent of these deaths occur in Asia.

Moratily Due to Air Pollution in Delhi - 80 per day !!


The report says that about 620,000 premature deaths occur in India from air pollution-related diseases. Global Burden of Disease (2010) has ranked air pollution as one of the top 10 killers in the world, and the sixth most dangerous killer in South Asia. In fact, particulate air pollution is now just three places behind indoor air pollution, which is the second highest killer in India.

Top 100 cities with the worst air quality in the World (WHO, 2011)
India has 27 cities in the top 100.

Top 100 cities with the worst air quality in the World (WHO, 2014)
India has 37 cities in the top 100.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Can of Fresh Air in China and Hong Kong

Chinese businessman Chen Guangbiao (center) gives cans of fresh air produced by his factory to passersby for free in a financial district in Beijing.

Read the full article on NPR, February 3rd, 2013

Top 100 cities with the worst air quality in the World (WHO, 2011)

A cartoon from New York Times


A similar campaign held in Hong Kong



Friday, February 08, 2013

Air Pollution in Beijing - By Numbers

Pictures are sources from china.org.cn

Hazardous smog blanketed Beijing on Jan. 28, triggering flight cancellations and cutting visibility. This has been the fourth-round of smoggy weather this year since the capital city was enveloped in thick fog and haze during the second weekend of January.

Smoggy and hazy weather enveloped 17 provinces and municipalities in central and east China since Jan. 12, 2013, including Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. Most of the cities were "gravely polluted". Residents living in the smog-shrouded areas were advised to stay indoors as much as possible and to wear masks when going out.


Dark smog hung over China's capital city for 26 days in the first month of 2013, according to data recorded at Beijing's southern suburb observatory. It was the most serious smog event since 1954.

According to data released at Beijing's Xizhimen monitoring station, the concentration of PM2.5 reached as high as 993 micrograms per cubic meter at 11:00pm, Jan. 12, cited as "beyond index" as it surpassed generally identified pollution levels.

The market for masks and air purifiers is booming throughout China as many parts of the country have been shrouded in thick fog and haze. Over 100 thousand masks were sold during the second weekend of January on Taobao and Tmall, two popular e-commerce websites in China.

The smoggy weather that has choked many Chinese cities in recent days affects a total area of 1.3 million square kilometers, which accounts for approximately one-seventh of China's entire territory.

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A detailed summary of the episode and measure put in place is available at Clean Air Asia.