How much can India learn to fight pollution from China?

[srikanthchowhan SIR IASGROUP]

 

Context:

Smog in Delhi shows that India has failed to control the pollution levels in the National Capital. However, China has been more successful than India in fighting pollution. According to a Greenpeace analysis of NASA’s satellite data on particulate matter in India and China, the levels of fine particulate matter rose across India by 13% between 2010 and 2015 while they fell by 17% in China in the same period. Delhi’s average annual PM 2.5 concentrations are more than double than those in Beijing.

 

What did China do?

China moved early to control pollution, especially after the 2008 Beijing Olympics which put a spotlight on smog.

• China cracked down on polluting vehicles and factories to improve the air for the games.
• China revised its laws to impose severe restrictions on polluting factories. The local authorities can even detain owners of factories that fail to comply with the laws. They can also impose heavy fines on such factories.
• China has also cracked down on coal-fired power plants. The Chinese government shut down nearly 100 such plants a few months ago. It has cut steel production capacity by 50 million tons. New plants have to meet strict emission criteria.
• China’s huge investment in alternative and renewable energy such as wind and solar is also targeted at decreasing pollution.
• Not only has China produces automobile fuel that complies with the Euro V standards, it has restricted car ownership too. In Beijing, one person cannot buy the second car in his own name. It is also an early mover in electric mobility while India has just set an ambitious target to have only electric cars by 2030.
• More awareness of pollution among the masses coupled with extensive monitoring by the government also helps fight pollution in China. China has a network of 1500 air-quality monitoring stations across more than 900 cities. India has only 39 such stations across 23 cities.

 

Where India has failed?

• Today, India has yet to provide jobs to millions of its youths and 24×7 electricity to every household. These two aims can discourage a crackdown on coal-based power plants and polluting factories.
• While India’s aim to have only electric cars by 2030 is laudable, little has been done on restricting ownership and use of polluting vehicles in big cities except for the order by the National Green Tribunal to ban old diesel vehicles.
• Unlike the authoritarian China, where law-making as well enforcement can be quick, a democratic India is slow on these counts. Composite solutions such as the need for Delhi, Punjab and Haryana to work jointly on smog get mired in raucous politics.

 

Way ahead:

Air pollution has become a common challenge for both China and India. Beijing has its own way to cope with it. India must find solutions that suit its own circumstances.