China Hopes For 'Green' Olympics But Prepares to Fight Smog
2022-01-01
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1China is using the Winter Olympic Games to strengthen its efforts to improve the environment.
2But Beijing, where the Games will take place, has a lot of smog. As a result, the city is preparing for the worst.
3Beijing has improved its air quality since the International Olympic Committee awarded the city with the Winter Olympic Games.
4But the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has said winter smog risks remained "severe."
5A ministry spokesman told reporters recently that plans were in place in the city and nearby province.
6"When the time comes, Beijing and Hebei will be guided to adopt reasonable environmental protection measures in accordance with the law," the spokesman said.
7He said reports that heavily polluting industries in the area would be closed after January 1 were "not true."
8Critics warned in 2015 -- when Beijing was awarded the Games -- that dangerous smog would threaten the Winter Olympics.
9The area is surrounded by big industry.
10Chinese President Xi Jinping then promised to run a "green" Games.
11Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing, promised to "transform and upgrade" its industrial economy.
12Since then, China has planted thousands of hectares of trees around Beijing.
13Hebei province has built large wind and solar farms for creating electricity.
14And the government has moved hundreds of businesses.
15PM2.5 is a form of pollution in the air.
16In 2016, the level of PM2.5 pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area was 71 micrograms per cubic meter.
17The level rose to more than 500 micrograms over the winter.
18That is compared to an average of 40 micrograms from January to September of 2021.
19The reading in Beijing was 33 micrograms in the first nine months of the year.
20That meets China's 35-microgram limit.
21But it is higher than the level suggested by the World Health Organization of five micrograms.
22Beijing's pollution levels are likely to rise much higher over the winter.
23"China will win many medals at the Winter Olympics, but the smog...could plunge the Games into difficulties," said the International Fund for China's Environment, a Washington-based group, earlier this year.
24Officials said during a government-organized trip recently that all 26 Olympic areas in Beijing and Hebei province would be completely powered by renewable energy.
25More than 700 hydrogen-powered vehicles will also be used.
26China has said it would make the Games "carbon neutral" for the first time.
27Environmental group Greenpeace said without more information it would be hard to know whether the goal of not increasing carbon gasses in the atmosphere was met.
28Water shortages are another concern, especially for the effort to make artificial snow and ice.
29Organizers said the Games would not put additional pressure on local water supplies.
30Officials said they would use mountain water and rainfall from the summer months.
31I'm Dan Novak.
1China is using the Winter Olympic Games to strengthen its efforts to improve the environment. But Beijing, where the Games will take place, has a lot of smog. As a result, the city is preparing for the worst. 2Beijing has improved its air quality since the International Olympic Committee awarded the city with the Winter Olympic Games. But the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has said winter smog risks remained "severe." 3A ministry spokesman told reporters recently that plans were in place in the city and nearby province. 4"When the time comes, Beijing and Hebei will be guided to adopt reasonable environmental protection measures in accordance with the law," the spokesman said. 5He said reports that heavily polluting industries in the area would be closed after January 1 were "not true." 6Critics warned in 2015 -- when Beijing was awarded the Games -- that dangerous smog would threaten the Winter Olympics. The area is surrounded by big industry. 7Chinese President Xi Jinping then promised to run a "green" Games. Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing, promised to "transform and upgrade" its industrial economy. 8Since then, China has planted thousands of hectares of trees around Beijing. Hebei province has built large wind and solar farms for creating electricity. And the government has moved hundreds of businesses. 9PM2.5 is a form of pollution in the air. In 2016, the level of PM2.5 pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area was 71 micrograms per cubic meter. The level rose to more than 500 micrograms over the winter. That is compared to an average of 40 micrograms from January to September of 2021. 10The reading in Beijing was 33 micrograms in the first nine months of the year. That meets China's 35-microgram limit. But it is higher than the level suggested by the World Health Organization of five micrograms. Beijing's pollution levels are likely to rise much higher over the winter. 11"China will win many medals at the Winter Olympics, but the smog...could plunge the Games into difficulties," said the International Fund for China's Environment, a Washington-based group, earlier this year. 12Officials said during a government-organized trip recently that all 26 Olympic areas in Beijing and Hebei province would be completely powered by renewable energy. More than 700 hydrogen-powered vehicles will also be used. 13China has said it would make the Games "carbon neutral" for the first time. Environmental group Greenpeace said without more information it would be hard to know whether the goal of not increasing carbon gasses in the atmosphere was met. 14Water shortages are another concern, especially for the effort to make artificial snow and ice. 15Organizers said the Games would not put additional pressure on local water supplies. Officials said they would use mountain water and rainfall from the summer months. 16I'm Dan Novak. 17Voice of America reported this story. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 18__________________________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20smog- n. a mixture of fog and smoke; polluted, cloudy-like air 21adopt -v. to accept or approve 22in accordance with -phrase in a way that agrees with or follows 23transform- v. to change completely 24upgrade - v. to make (something) better by including the most recent information or improvements 25plunge (into)- v. to cause something to happen suddenly 26renewable - adj. able to be restored or replaced naturally 27artificial - adj. not natural; made by people using industry, machines or processes