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Beijing to end coal usage by 2020 to reduce smog

  • China’s capital and its adjoining areas will end coal usage by 2020 to reduce the recurring smog in Beijing and improve air quality .

  • Beijing wants to replace coal-fired stoves with that of electricity and gas.

  • Beijing has declared that it will wipe out coal use in its most rural areas by 2020.

  • 60 per cent of smog content is caused by coal burning in the starting phase of each smog .

  • 30 per cent of the pollution comes from automobiles.

  • Burning coal for winter heating has been listed as one of the primary causes of air pollution.

Background :

The capital and other places in northern China experienced several smog alerts in November and December, when peak readings were many times higher than the national safety level.

Last month Beijing declared its first red alert as the city of over 22 million people was enveloped by heavily polluted smog leading to a host of emergency measures including closure of schools and restriction of traffic with odd and even number plates. 

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