Unfortunately, depending on the jetstream, we still get a lot of their pollution blowing over here to Korea. I think it is mostly from coal power plants on the coast. Anecdotally, the effect of EVs on the air there does feel like it has lessened the amount of smog that blows over to Korea, in the spring especially. Glad to hear they are making progress. Last time I was in Beijing the air was unbearably smoky (2011).
Unfortunately despite leading on EVs, renewables and nuclear power deployment, China is also expanding coal. So their greenhouse gas emissions are still rising.
I was under the impression that they reached peak CO2 emissions and have been flat or falling for the past year or so
Honestly I thought so too, but I quickly looked it up before commenting, and at least according to Our World in Data it’s actually up both per capita and in absolute terms.
It’s great news regardless but I don’t know why they feel the need to over-attribute this to EVs. It’s not like the majority of the population in Beijing ever drove cars. Regulations on heavy industry are briefly glossed over 10 paragraphs down so they can go back to glowing about EVs. But my impression after visiting Beijing was that a lot of the smog came from people relying on coal cakes for everyday cooking and heating.
Clearer than ever, but still (currently) >4x WHO recommended pollution levels
https://www.iqair.com/us/china/beijing/beijing
China in general has improved drastically but it still has pretty big issues in the winter due in large part to the increased heating demand.
“Thanks to EV” → annoying oversimplification. As even this biased article states “The change has been a result of government policy focusing on smog reductions, including restrictions on heavy industry”. One should also add expansion of public transit services to the mix of factors.
It’s always nice to see some good news in the shitshow that is modern day life, makes me hopeful that a better future is still possible. I hope that one day Beijing (and the rest of the world) can go back to clean air 365 days a year.
Let’s hope the heavier EVs don’t rip up too much toxic road particles in the process.
China is basically what the western world was in the 60-70’s where progress were all over the place.
Still behind in terms of alot of things, especially workers rights, but it’s not going backwards like it is in the US.
Like all countries, there’s some good and bad things to say, but I think that investing in renewables was a very smart move on their part.
They still did it for all other reasons than being eco friendly.
They simply just have the minerals and mines for solar and batteries. And the big one is offering the world an alternative for oil, which takes a big chunk into US profits.
We are just lucky that it also means cleaner air for everyone.
Living conditions have improved for the majority but the current leader (13 years) has increased autocracy, further reduced freedoms, continued oppressing Uyghurs and Hong Kong and increased the threat on Taiwan.
increased autocracy, further reduced freedoms
How so? A Chinese friend I made outside China who straight up said certain previous leaders of China should be hanged generally liked Xi.
continued oppressing Uyghurs
No investigation, no right to speak. Why don’t you come to Xinjiang or Kazakhstan and talk to some Uhigurs? There’s literally no travel restrictions, anyone can come here.
Hong Kong
They were governed by a council elected by business interests and the British crown. Hong Kong is the freest its ever been under China.
But I’ve only spent like 10 hours there, and haven’t run into any Hong Kongers outside of China so I don’t have a strong opinion on what they’re dealing with, all I know is what the US wants for them is not in their interest.
Just so I know if my time will be well used to redact an answer, what’s your affinity with lemmy.ml, hexbear and lemmygrad?
I left lemmy.ml when traveling in China because its blocked by the Great Firewall, so is hb, while lemmygrad users are generally correct, I don’t think their attitude towards anarchists is productive, and sometimes I see some really bad takes from them.
If you’re going to respond, do me a favor and base your take somewhat in reality.
If you can’t read chinese, have never been to China, and aren’t getting your takes from anyone who has and doesn’t have a material interest in peddling propaganda, you probably shouldn’t speak on the matter.
Btw, I should be in Xinjiang tomorrow night, and theres an older uhigur living nearby here in Kazakhstan if you had any questions you wanted me to ask.
What is it with lemmy.ml that I have missed? I personally just chose it by pure randomness on a list when I created an account, but I have seen it come up more times now as something negative?
I have no clue what hexbear and lemmygrad is.
Lemmy.ml, hexbear and lemmygrad are infamous for being the three big instances hosting tankies.
Major city moves its pollution to a different, poorer area
should be the title.
I’ll give China props for not being beholden to oil companies
They don’t have enough oil, that’s the only reason they want green energy.
No mention of the Subway expansion during that time?
I had trouble finding numbers, so please correct me if I’m wrong, but the subway went from around 200km to 900km and from a handful of lines to 30 lines since 2008.
yeah they have done alot things to improve not just ev’s
Ya, the article mentions shutting down factories and coal plants, etc., but it didn’t say anything about the massive subway expansion, which must be getting a lot of cars off of the road.
