The strongest sandstorm in 10 years hit northern China on Monday, illustrating what conservation groups call an “ecological crisis”.
Li Shuo, policy director at Greenpeace China, told The New York Times that the storm, which disrupted hundreds of flights, was “the result of ecological and land degradation in north and west Beijing”. Industrial pollutants in the vicinity of Beijing so far this year have already exceeded the annual average for the past four years, he added.
“Beijing is what an ecological crisis looks like. After two weeks of atmospheric pollution and static air, the strong wind carries a sandstorm, sending [air quality index] off the chart, ”said Li.
Beijing is what an ecological crisis looks like. After two weeks of pollution and static air, the strong wind carries a sandstorm, taking the AQI off the chart. It is difficult to say that we are moving forward when you cannot see what lies ahead. pic.twitter.com/m0wS5oYg6O
– Li Shuo_Greenpeace (@LiShuo_GP) March 15, 2021
The climate system had its genesis in a winter storm that passed through Mongolia, where it killed at least nine and cut power in various regions of the country. In northern China, air has exceeded the risk levels of airborne particles.
Air quality readings reached 999 on Monday, after averages of around 80 in most of 2020.
China’s meteorological department has declared a “yellow alert” due to the storm. The event extended from the provinces of Xinjiang and Gansu to the interior of Mongolia and the province of Hebei, according to NPR. Overall, the storm affected 12 provinces and cities, NPR reported, citing state media.
The climate was compared to the “peak air” events that hit the country years ago, before the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party took steps to reduce pollution levels.
Beijing authorities have imposed an order to stay at home for children, the sick and the elderly, as the resulting pollution has discolored the air. The effects are expected to persist at least until Tuesday morning, according to the Times.
President Xi Jinping said that a “green revolution” is needed in the country and that China will increase its efforts to reduce carbon emissions, but that goal is often in conflict with accelerated economic development. The heavy pollution of the past few days has been linked to increased steel and cement production, and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China recently told local authorities that four steelmakers in Hebei province have not cut emissions properly, according to with the Times.