Beijing smog makes city unliveable, says mayor

[cryptocoiner]

This is a strategy of China, you all never understand
Let me show you why,
We have polluted air, toxic food and contaminated water.
After all of this things, our body been tempered, we have a strong heart.
If the world war 3 happen, the nuclear way will be inevitable.
The air,water and food on earth will be polluted.
Do your know who will be survived?
The answer will be Chinese people

PS: Of course this is a joke.

And don't forget the ARK they built to survive apocalypse in 2012 movie 

They will need it for sure in a 2020 =)

What about smog. They will decide this problem sooner or later. Newer cars with strict emiccion limits. No coal burning etc. Just a matter of development. Give them some time.

[jaysabi]

I have to believe the pollution is a major obstacle for the economy. In some regards, it's hard to envision China overtaking the the United States as the preeminent economic power when they have such major air quality problems. A great deal of resources will be spent dealing with that problem, and all the related health problems that will come with it. I bet the cancer rates are going to be off the charts in 20 years for residents of Beijing and other polluted cities.

[CIYAM]

I bet the cancer rates are going to be off the charts in 20 years for residents of Beijing and other polluted cities.

True - but as they don't have state funded health care for most people the expense will be born by the people (and China has an abundance of people).

[jaysabi]

I bet the cancer rates are going to be off the charts in 20 years for residents of Beijing and other polluted cities.

True - but as they don't have state funded health care for most people the expense will be born by the people (and China has an abundance of people).

The party leadership will have no choice but to address the situation to keep them complacent, or risk mass civil unrest. The party is only interested in maintaining power, and the people will only tolerate that as long as their lives are continuously improving. These circumstances seem destined to force China to devote a lot of resources towards the problem of pollution.

[CIYAM]

These circumstances seem destined to force China to devote a lot of resources towards the problem of pollution.

I think the whole world is hoping that innovation will be tested and perfected in China in order to do that (if it isn't then the pollution is eventually going to affect everyone in the world).

[MaxDZ8]

I've read something about an interesting research years ago. I think it was this one.

I wonder if the government is considering this a priority. After all, a collapse in workers could be a problem... but perhaps old people will go first.

[jaysabi]

I've read something about an interesting research years ago. I think it was this one.

I wonder if the government is considering this a priority. After all, a collapse in workers could be a problem... but perhaps old people will go first.

Wow, that's an incredibly bleak picture, and as the study they reference was in the 1990s, I wouldn't be surprised to find that the problem is getting worse.

Life expectancy in northern China was 5.5 years shorter than in southern China in the 1990s, and a health risk disparity lingers today, a difference almost entirely due to heart and lung disease related to air pollution from the burning of coal, a new study shows.

...

Since there are 500 million residents of Northern China, that means air pollution is associated with the loss of more than 2.5 billion life years of life expectancy, the study says.

2.5 billion life years lost due to air pollution. What a colossal waste!

[Agestorzrxx]

I have to believe the pollution is a major obstacle for the economy. In some regards, it's hard to envision China overtaking the the United States as the preeminent economic power when they have such major air quality problems. A great deal of resources will be spent dealing with that problem, and all the related health problems that will come with it. I bet the cancer rates are going to be off the charts in 20 years for residents of Beijing and other polluted cities.

The major obstacle is china is not a democracy country.

[CIYAM]

The major obstacle is china is not a democracy country.

I don't think the political system is the major obstacle but instead the massive scale of the problem they've put themselves in through their amazing feats of construction (it will have the world's largest subway system soon).

Probably they were led by economists to believe that solutions will come out of further growth and so rather than scaling back they turned it up to ten.

[GotCoin]

Norilsk, Russia

http://buhgalter.by/photo/b7c1e210e8770992bccfbd0c53596358/db03d97fab6e9801160af45cc3200365_p.jpg

[Balthazar]

Such comparison isn't quite correct because unlike Beijing, Norilsk is industrial city and center of so-called Norilsk Industrial District. This region is closed for foreign citizens and the only its purpose is to ensure the functioning of mining and, at the same time, the metalproducing plant. In other words, it's purposed to be dirty.

[CIYAM]

Such comparison isn't quite correct because unlike Beijing, Norilsk is industrial city and center of so-called Norilsk Industrial District.

Indeed Beijing is nowhere near the most polluted city in China.

[hashman]

Norilsk, Russia

Note the clear view of sky and horizon in this picture.  In Beijing you will never see those things. 

[jaysabi]

I have to believe the pollution is a major obstacle for the economy. In some regards, it's hard to envision China overtaking the the United States as the preeminent economic power when they have such major air quality problems. A great deal of resources will be spent dealing with that problem, and all the related health problems that will come with it. I bet the cancer rates are going to be off the charts in 20 years for residents of Beijing and other polluted cities.

The major obstacle is china is not a democracy country.

No, but the party is not unresponsive to public pressure. Just look at how far they've come in the last 30 years, letting in foreign investment, the ever-constant creep of capitalism, etc. They're still corrupt as hell, but it's much better than it was in the 60's and 70's because they have to be in order to stay in power.

[GotCoin]

I'm simply try to found pictures of highly polluted cities

[JohnLennon]

Note the clear view of sky and horizon in this picture.  In Beijing you will never see those things. 

I think this because picture was taken from a height or from distance outcide the city

[H1N1]

Norilsk, Russia

Note the clear view of sky and horizon in this picture.  In Beijing you will never see those things. 

Only because the picture is taken from high up, above all the low lying smog. Just look at the bottom and imagine what it looks like from there. Far worse.

[ajareselde]

Norilsk, Russia

Note the clear view of sky and horizon in this picture.  In Beijing you will never see those things. 

Only because the picture is taken from high up, above all the low lying smog. Just look at the bottom and imagine what it looks like from there. Far worse.

cant believe that people actually live there.. amazing
i think i would move to another city/country asap if i was the one living there..

[Balthazar]

ajareselde, H1N1

Such comparison isn't quite correct because unlike Beijing, Norilsk is industrial city and center of so-called Norilsk Industrial District. This region is closed for foreign citizens and the only its purpose is to ensure the functioning of mining and, at the same time, the metalproducing plant. In other words, it's purposed to be dirty.

[jaysabi]

Norilsk, Russia

Note the clear view of sky and horizon in this picture.  In Beijing you will never see those things. 

Only because the picture is taken from high up, above all the low lying smog. Just look at the bottom and imagine what it looks like from there. Far worse.

cant believe that people actually live there.. amazing
i think i would move to another city/country asap if i was the one living there..

It's probably likely that if you live in a city like this, you don't have the means to relocate, because who would tolerate this willingly?