Study: Air pollution is killing 4,000 people in China every day

[yuiyoshida]

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new study shows that air pollution is killing about 4,000 people in China a day, accounting for 1 in 6 premature deaths in the world’s most populous country.

Physicists at the University of California, Berkeley, calculated that about 1.6 million people in China die each year from heart, lung and stroke problems because of incredibly polluted air, especially small particles of haze.

Earlier studies put the annual Chinese air pollution death toll at 1 to 2 million, but this is the first to use newly released Chinese air monitoring figures.

Study lead author Robert Rohde said that 38 percent of the Chinese population has a long-term air quality average that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls “unhealthy.” He said coal is the chief polluter.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/134798/study-air-pollution-is-killing-4000-people-in-china-every-day/

The study was released Thursday.

[Person 2713]

1. It is saddest to see the little kids in masks although it is all bad

[Bugenhagen]

2. Especially since that kind of mask is all but worthless for fine particulates

and totally worthless for gases like carbon monoxide.

[davidpdx]

3. I'm worried about the pollution in Korea

It's not as bad as in China, but has been getting worse. There is new technology that captures carbon in the air and turns it into a liquid that can be used for fuel. I was telling someone that we need to start using these technologies soon or people's health is going to be at risk.

[freshwest]

4. Some of this was addressed in the climate change agreement with Obama,G-20, etc..

U.S.-China Joint Announcement on Climate Change

Beijing, China, 12 November 2014

The United States intends to achieve an economy-wide target of reducing its emissions by 26%-28% below its 2005 level in 2025 and to make best efforts to reduce its emissions by 28%. China intends to achieve the peaking of CO2 emissions around 2030 and to make best efforts to peak early and intends to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 20% by 2030...

At the same time, economic evidence makes increasingly clear that smart action on climate change now can drive innovation, strengthen economic growth and bring broad benefits – from sustainable development to increased energy security, improved public health and a better quality of life. Tackling climate change will also strengthen national and international security...

The two sides intend to continue strengthening their policy dialogue and practical cooperation, including cooperation on advanced coal technologies, nuclear energy, shale gas and renewable energy, which will help optimize the energy mix and reduce emissions, including from coal, in both countries...

More at link:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-change

It can't come soon enough and for some, it will be too late.

[PatrickforO]

5. The beginning of a capitalist holocaust.

This is horrible.

[The2ndWheel]

6. Their population is still growing

[Herman4747]

7. That photograph is INCREDIBLE.

Simply incredible.

NO TO COAL!!
NO TO CARS!!

[Blue_Tires]

8. Don't worry, they'll temporarily clean it up in time for the olympics

[Jamaal510]

9. Going over there

would be a death sentence for someone like me who has asthma. No offense to anyone who might actually be from China and lurks on these forums, but I'd never want to visit. Their country has it rough and is in dire need of stepping up its environmental regulations more.

[former9thward]

10. Unfortunately that air does not remain inside the borders.