Globalist Olympics Blog

A specter is haunting Beijing—air pollution. Beijing’s air pollution, some of the worst in the world, was a concern from the beginning for Olympic organizers. The Chinese government enacted initiatives in preparation for the Games, but skeptical media outlets were quick to disparage China’s efforts. In the days on either side of August 8, the New York Times and the South China Morning Post published articles about China’s failure to reduce pollution. The decision of Ethiopian marathoner Haile Gebrselassie to not run in the Games was held up as proof of the China’s shortcomings. But Beijing saw more clean days these last two weeks than anyone can remember, and no one is reporting this success.

Beijing’s new tallest building, a 78-story tower a kilometer down the street from my home, serves as my pollution barometer. If I can clearly see the building when I ride my bike out in the morning, the air is clear. There have been days in which the building is completely obscured by smog. Based on this rough metric, the first few days of the Olympics remained polluted, but then the air cleared. The last several days have been some of the most beautiful days I have ever seen in the city.

My 78-story Skidmore, Owings & Merrill-designed pollution barometer

The Chinese government uses a rather more sophisticated method of determining air quality. Based on measurements of the solid particulates in the air, the day is awarded a score between 1 and 500, 500 being the worst. Anything over 100 is considered dangerous—in July, the rating was consistently above 150. There have been days scored at close to 500, which usually result in highway closure due to low visibility. On the other hand, Beijing meteorologists consider any day with a score of fewer than 100 a “blue sky day,” regardless of cloud-cover. During the Games, the air has scored consistently below 100. It is obvious that progress has been made by hook or by crook.

The reduction in particulates is apparently the result of several costly initiatives:

1. China tried unproven cloud-seeding techniques. Pellets of silver iodide and dry ice are shot into the air to either create clouds in order to precipitate rain or to disperse clouds. (It is unclear what is the more desired effect. I have read articles citing “authorities” that argue each way);
2. Half the cars (a estimated 3 million) were also removed from Beijing’s roads as a result of restrictions placed on license plates. Cars with even-numbered plates can drive on even numbered days and the same for cars with odd-numbered plates. Unfortunately, it seems that the difference has been made up in taxis;
3. All non-Olympic-related construction in the city was put on hold starting July 20 to reduce the dust caused by construction; and
4. All factories in Beijing and the surrounding provinces were shut down in the months preceding the Games.

Still, there are detractors. Western environmentalists have argued that counting only particulates overlooks other harmful airborne pollutants. “Blue sky days” on China’s scale are considered dangerous in the USA. But when I write above that Beijing has had “more clean days… than anyone can remember,” I do not mean a particulate score of fewer than 100. The sky has been actually blue. Nor have any athletes suffered during the endurance events—I have yet to see an athlete even wearing a filter mask, which were distributed to many upon arrival.

But one can go overboard in praising the Chinese cleanup. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, told the press during one grey and disgusting day that the soupy air was not smog, but fog. Beijing sits on the edge of a desert at sea level. Even in the unlikely event that there would be fog, it would burn off under the hot sun. One must remain realistic about the situation.

China’s magical cleanup, if it is as successful as Rogge believes, suggests that China can control its pollution levels. The supposed ability to sanitize Beijing’s air means that China can continue to pollute freely for now because they can always clean up later. This is dangerous thinking. The “real” Beijing is not actually cleaner: when the cars return, the factors are online again, and no one is seeding clouds, Beijing will return to being one of the most polluted cities in the world. The Olympic clean air is only temporary.

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