Measures such as information disclosure and law enforcement supervision at the end of the process are still insufficient. How to tackle PM2.5 at its source is a test of whether a modern metropolis can "breathe healthily" amid rapid development.
"Fog veils towers, moon confuses ferry crossings"—the hazy imagery from classical poetry has become a true reflection of Beijing’s air conditions in recent days. The smog that began shrouding the capital on the evening of the 10th persisted for several days, and on the 12th, Beijing’s PM2.5 index approached the "maximum level." Nearly all areas of Beijing were covered in "dark brown," indicating the most severe pollution.
The resurgence of PM2.5 is not just Beijing’s problem. Recently, from North China to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and then to the Sichuan Basin, thick fog has been widespread. Historically, winter has also been a period when air quality declines significantly. Yet, within the dense fog, the dangers of PM2.5 pollution have become increasingly clear to people.
At the end of last year, Peking University’s School of Public Health and other institutions released a study titled "Dangerous Breath—Research on the Health Hazards and Economic Losses of PM2.5," which pointed out that PM2.5 pollution poses a fatal risk to public health. The harm of PM2.5 is fiercer than a tiger, and controlling PM2.5 has become an urgent matter.
During the recent heavy fog, relevant departments in Beijing promptly released air quality information through the internet, Weibo, television, and radio. They advised citizens to minimize travel and outdoor stays, suggested that primary and secondary schools reduce outdoor activities, and strengthened law enforcement and supervision to ensure pollution-emitting units cut emissions. These measures are necessary, but in the face of the severe PM2.5 pollution situation, information disclosure and law enforcement supervision at the end of the process are not enough. How to tackle PM2.5 at its source is a test of whether a modern metropolis can "breathe healthily" amid rapid development.
Previously, data from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau showed that among the sources of PM2.5 pollution in Beijing, direct and indirect emissions from motor vehicles accounted for 22%, coal pollution 16.7%, industrial painting 16.3%, urban dust pollution 16%, rural straw burning and others 4.5%, with another 24.5% coming from surrounding areas of Beijing. Such a diverse composition of pollution sources determines the complexity and systematic nature of governance—requiring both greener industrial production in cities and low-carbon lifestyles among residents; needing local ecological purification as well as regional environmental improvement.
Pollution flows freely, and no one can stay unscathed. We can no longer turn a blind eye to the endless streams of traffic, towering chimneys, and billowing dust, thinking it’s fine as long as it’s not in front of our own homes. The harm of PM2.5 has spread like pervasive fog, affecting every one of us. Some research even points out that the recent high incidence and worsening of PM2.5 pollution are directly related to the rapid increase in coal consumption. Although cities like Beijing and Guangzhou have become pioneers in absolutely reducing total coal use, the efforts of individual cities alone are insufficient to address the grim reality of regional air pollution spread. Areas hardest hit by PM2.5 pollution should especially tackle the tough issue of controlling total regional coal consumption.
This further shows that tackling PM2.5 with isolated efforts is ineffective. There is an urgent need for top-level design, comprehensive plans, and the mobilization of all forces to advance together. Only by deeply integrating the concept of ecological civilization into the macro and micro aspects of urban construction, regional development, and personal life can we achieve fresh and healthy breathing.