- Editor's note -
According to the Health Impact Institute (HEI), air pollution is the fourth leading risk factor for premature death worldwide. Environmental PM2 in developing countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East5. Pollution exposure levels are the highest in the world. As the largest developing country in the world, China has achieved remarkable results in air pollution prevention and control in the past decade, and has rich practical experience. What should developing countries pay attention to when carrying out air pollution control? What is China's experience? China** interviewed Professor Zhang Hongliang from the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering at Fudan University on related issues. nations should consider cost, impact of air pollution control was recently released, share the following Chinese version for readers.
Zhang Hongliang. Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University.
Developing countries should not ignore the costs and potential impact on people's livelihoods as they move forward with air pollution control.
China's 10-year experience in pollution control is faster than that of developing countries
Tackling air pollution boosts confidence
Zhang Hongliang, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering at Fudan University, said that while this is not an easy task, China's success in significantly improving air quality in just a decade provides confidence that developing countries can tackle air pollution in a relatively short period of time.
Zhang Hongliang has long been committed to exchanges on air pollution control with experts from developing countries, especially with India. In the summer of 2018, while working at Louisiana State University in the United States, he co-founded the China-India Association of Atmospheric Scientists (CIAAS) with friends in India at Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology.
In 2019, the association organized an exchange event at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India, which attracted Tao Shu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an expert in air pollution control.
During their visit to India, Zhang Hongliang, Sun Yele from the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Hu Jianlin from Nanxin were invited to visit the residence of a senior official in charge of air pollution control and food safety in Delhi to discuss China's efforts and progress in air pollution control.
At the end of 2019, India** declared war on pollution with the launch of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). At that time, the Chinese members of the China-India Association of Atmospheric Scientists translated some policy documents on China's air quality standards for India** for its reference.
Zhang Hongliang, who worked in the United States from 2008 to 2019, said that despite the volatility of the U.S.-China relationship, some U.S. experts and institutions in the field of atmospheric science have been committed to supporting and promoting research on air pollution prevention and control in China, which has played a role in promoting people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States.
He pointed out that India's air pollution problem was more severe in 2018, but at that time, China had accumulated some useful experience in air quality management. The reason why the association was founded was because it was hoped that it would promote people-to-people exchanges between China and India.
In addition to the willingness to fight pollution, developing countries need to pay attention
The cost of pollution control measures and their impact on people's livelihoods
Air pollution is so close to our lives that no one is immune, whether you are an ordinary citizen or a national leader, so political elites and the public in developing countries may have the will to control air pollution. He said.
However, he noted that despite the common will, butDeveloping countries** still need a clear understanding of the potential impacts and associated costs of the measures they plan to implement.
One of the key issues facing developing countries is their needsStrive to strike a balance between economic development and pollution control. He added the need to ensure that people's livelihoods are not significantly affected by air pollution control.
He said,China's success in rapidly improving air quality has boosted the confidence of other developing countries in tackling air pollution.
Just make up your mind to solve the pollution problem
It is possible to succeed in 30-50 years or even less
It took about half a century for the United States and European countries to tackle local air pollution problems. A lot of people have thought,Considering that the air pollution situation in China is more severe, it may take a century for China to solve its air pollution problem. He said.
However, China's experience proves that"As long as you are determined to solve the problem, you can succeed in 30 to 50 years or less. ”
Content**: This article is translated from China**Interview Report Nations should consider cost, impact of air pollution control, expert says, author: Hou Liqiang].
Translation: AI software; Review Integration: Sun Ru; Typesetting: Lin Yujia].
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