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| Posted: August 4, 2008 |
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Atmospheric chemist Kenneth Rahn regularly travels to China to consult with scientists there about the country's air pollution problem. Rahn took your questions about pollution in Beijing during the run-up to the Olympic Games. |
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| Meg of Portland, Ore. asks |
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| Why haven't the three southern cities in the NewsHour piece been asked to do the same shut-down process if it will help Beijing for the games? And in the long-term, what measures need to be taken by China to help its people have healthier air? |
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| Kenneth Rahn responds: |
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Actually they are three provinces -- Hebei, Shandong, and Shanxi. Shutting them down is roughly like trying to shut down New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania all at once. It ain't gonna happen! As to your second question, Much of the pollution is exported from large industrial areas outside of cities. The measures to be taken are just those being tried by the Chinese now (autos, construction, industry, etc.), but truly effective reductions will require decades, just as it did here. Write me again in 2080.
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