Costabile et al 2008 in environmental modelling and software, and Ho et al 2007 in clearing the air, attribute urban air pollution to numerous factors including road transport and coal burning which have impacts on human health and urban environmental quality. In Ho et al 2007, in Clearing the air, it is stated that these factors contributing to the urban air pollution have resulted in Chinas high urban concentrations of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide ranking at, or near the top of the international league table. This high air pollution is shown within the graph by L’autier.
A graph of urban air pollution with reference to the WHO guideline L’autier 2003 www1.worldbank.org/.../leautier-charts2.gif
From looking at L’autier’s graph it can be seen that China’s monitored levels of urban air pollution is approximately 250 ug/m3 higher than the WHO guideline and approximately 200 ug/m3 higher than the worlds monitored levels of pollution, therefore indicating that China’s urban air pollution is ‘bad’.
A map of the deaths/million globally as a result on air pollution in 2000
Davis 2007.www.earthtrends.wri.org/images/air_pollution_map_...
A table of the predicted annual deaths as a result or urban air pollution
World watch institute (2005) www.worldwatch.org/.../2005_air_pollution.jpg
This high urban air pollution is also reflected within the annual death tolls as a result of the urban air pollutants. It can be seen in the world watch table that china has the highest amount of deaths globally annually between 200 and 230 deaths/million resulting from air pollution leading to an approximated total of 590,000 annual deaths between 2001 and 2020.
From the graphs, tables, maps and articles it can therefore be said that china definitely has a bad urban air pollution problem. In fact the air pollution problem is not just ‘bad’ it is globally the highest, and if China wants this status to be lifted from the country, more drastic measures need to be undertaken to reduce the pollution.
References:
Costabile. F., and Allegrini. I. (2008) A new approach to link transport emissions and air quality: an intelligent transport system based on the control of traffic air pollution. Environmental modelling and software. 23. 258-287.
Davis. C. (2007) Pollution and human health. Avaliable at earthtrends.wri.org/images/air_pollution_map_.... Visited 27th February 2008.
Ho. M. S. and Nielsen. C. P. (2007) Clearing the air: The health and economic damages of air pollution in China. 1st edition. The MIT press.
L’autier. F. A. L. (2003). Urban Air Pollution Management. Avalibel at; www.worldbank.org/.../leautier-charts2.gif. Visited 27th February 2008
Worldwatch institute. (2005) Coal, China, and India: A Deadly Combination for Air Pollution?
Avaliable at; www.worldwatch.org/.../2005_air_pollution.jpg. Visited 27th February 2008
