Society

China urged to improve air monitoring

By Zhao Chenyan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-01-20 14:40

More changes are called for in China's air quality monitoring after 20 inland cities failed a test of indicators used to inform the public how the air pollution damages their health, according to a report released Wednesday, 21st Century Business Herald reported on Thursday.

China lagged behind other major world cities in the Air Quality Information Transparency Index (AQTI) which measures the comprehensiveness of air quality indicators used in monitoring and public reporting.

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According to the report, released by the Law School of Renmin University and the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, 20 out of 30 cities in China failed to make the grade.

Beijing scored highest in China with 38 points out of 100, but still way below the score of other international cities tested.

Shanghai scored 37 and Guangzhou 33.2 points. Urumqi in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region scored lowest in China with 15 points.

Other big international cities like Paris, New York, London, and Los Angles received an average score of nearly 80 points.

Air quality information transparency in Paris is considered the best at 89.2 points and Hong Kong ranks 6th at 76 points.

“While some Chinese cities have carried out air quality information release, overall the domestic urban air quality information publicity is still at a primary level, lagging far behind the cities of developed areas,” said Zhu Xiao, the project leader and law professor with Renmin University of China.

The report suggests China should develop monitoring on fine particles as soon as possible and promote the disclosure of air quality information as well as scientifically increase the monitoring stations in order to meet the needs of the public and better protect their health.