Pollution Free Cities: Why Not Report Urban Air Pollution Publicly?

Friday, September 9, 2011

Why Not Report Urban Air Pollution Publicly?

WikiLeaks reveals China's failure to measure dangerous pollution- pollutant levels were not measured and made public because findings would have been 'too sensitive' for the authorities (Jonathan Watts, Guardian, Aug. 26, 2011)

Also discussed here: cable 06GUANGZHOU27482, WAITING TO INHALE: THE STATE OF AIR POLLUTION IN (Wikileaks, Aug. 23, 2011)

Today’s focus is on a report provided by Wikileaks from the US foreign service in 2006 about the reluctance of Chinese officials to report or release urban air pollution data. There is some irony here of course in the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases criticizing #2. As well, there seems to be a tendency of those responsible for air quality, particularly in the USA and Canada, of refusing to monitor or report on roadside roadside emissions in traffic-clogged cities, seen as one of the main factors for urban air pollution and its health impacts (as demonstrated in hundreds of reviews on this blog). There are exceptions, of course: New York City Community Air Survey and

Managing Hot Spots in Urban Municipalities in England (UK Local Air Quality Management Agreements directed by DEFRA)

Key Quotes:

“Hong Kong officials have publicly acknowledged the importance of monitoring PM2.5 in the index, but they concede that including a pollutant whose current levels are so far above acceptable standards – a situation that is not likely to improve any time soon -- would be politically difficult”

“ PM2.5 levels in Guangdong are typically 5-10 times higher than the suggested WHO guideline levels, and 2-3 times higher than even the first-tier interim WHO targets”

“PM2.5 is not on the government index of air pollutants yet it is deemed to be of highest concern for public health because the particles are so fine they can enter into the lungs, contribute to acute respiratory symptoms, heart disease, childhood illnesses and premature deaths”

"Academics and research scientists in Guangdong, who are increasingly concerned about the region's serious air pollution, but feel pressured to tone down their comments lest they face cuts in research funding ... Scientists acknowledge that lack of transparency for existing air pollution data is a major problem both for research and policy making."

“Since the cable was written in November 2006, however, environmentalists have commended the progress that China has made in measuring, disclosing and reducing air pollution, but many of these concerns remain today”