WikiLeaks Reveals Pollution Issues in China
Post on: 2011-08-28 By: admin
The latest batch of diplomatic cables unearthed by WikiLeaks reveals China's failure to measure certain pollution levels and the government's silence about the issue.
Several newly revealed cables, dating from 2006, show that certain types of air pollution aren't measured at all in China and thatthe Chinese government has ignored alarming findings from academics and scientists.[More from Mashable: China Cracks Down on Fake Apple Stores]
"Air pollution in China has grown so bad that Chinese officials are acknowledging the challenge it presents, and various foreign scholars are offering alarming statistics about the financial and health costs it brings (...) However, fine particle (PM2.5) pollution -- which is deemed to be of highest concern for public health -- is not measured," a cable dated Aug. 16, 2006, claims.
Another cable reveals that the levels of ozone (O3) in the Chinese province of Guangdong were at one point extremely high, while yet another comments on the findings of scientists in that same province who were feeling pressured not to come forward with the issue. [More from Mashable: China Shut Down 1.3M Websites in 2010 [STUDY]]
"Despite potential retaliation, scholars and scientists appear willing to continue to speak their minds and put some public pressure on the authorities.While progress towards pollutant emission reduction is possible, rapid change is not likely," the same cable concludes.
China has been praised in recent years for its efforts to reduce air pollution. The International Olympic Committee said the country had done "everything humanly possible" to clear Beijing's air ahead of the 2008 Olympic games. And the Chinese government has recently promised to include ozone measurements in its pollution index.
However, some recent reports on China's pollution measurement standards show that the country still has work to do before it solves its pollution problem.
[via The Guardian]
This story originally published on Mashable here.
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Where is Carl? Many of his 50 Cent posts claim the west shut down wikileaks.
no porrution reaks here, you so wong!we chinese no have dirty air like you round eye.we crean.you come here we run over you wit tank.
Anyone who has been to China would say No s**t. If you like to go outside on a sunny day and barely be able to breath or see the building across the street then visit Beijing on a sunny summer day. The Chinese government has to be one of the strangest on the planet. They've made tremendous progress in the last 30 years, but they seemed to be hell bent on derailing that progress by ignoring the growing problems in the country. They appear to operate under the belief that if you ignore something long enough and make sure no one finds out about it that it will simply go away. Yeah, that will work out just great. When you find out that none of the water in your country is potable anymore maybe try sticking your head in the sand a little longer and see if it magically turns clean again.
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