Hong Kong’s efforts to reduce pollution over the past decade have been completely nullified due to an increase in bad air floating in from the mainland.
Research from Hong Kong’s Environmental Protection Department, UC Irvine and Hong Kong Polytechnic University shows that although locally produced ozone (O3), and ozone and nitrogen dioxide (Ox) significantly decreased in Hong Kong between 2002 and 2013, an increase in Ox from southern and eastern China has resulted in an overall rise in air pollution levels. Cheers, guys.
Hong Kong has suffered from serious air pollution problems since the mid-1990s, when reports of photochemical smog first emerged. The government has introduced a series of measures to try and curb the problem, but clearly to no effect.
The researchers analysed the daily maximum eight-hour average of O3 and Ox from September to November, Hong Kong’s high pollution season, over the 10-year period. While local levels have steadily reduced, they found regional background Ox from the Pearl River Delta and eastern China negated such efforts.
The researchers stressed the need for more collaboration in the region. “The long-term data analysed in the present study in Hong Kong vividly illustrate the importance of dealing with pollution sources over a large geographical area. As many other cities in central and eastern China are closer to regional sources of pollution, it is vital to develop and implement coordinated multi-regional policies to mitigate ozone pollution and other secondary problems in these cities.”
Photo: Wikimedia
