The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic GamesAugust 8-24 2008
Beijing Youth Daily
My question is for Mr. Guo Hu. At present at Beijing Municipal Meteorological Bureau, what is the weather forecast for the day on the Opening Ceremony? If it rains or if there is a high probability of precipitation, how can you reduce such likelihood so that it does not rain on the day?
Guo Hu
Well, I will answer the first question, but today we are talking about the environment and meteorology. I think everybody is interested or concerned of the weather that we are going to have on the day of the Opening Ceremony. In the near future, there will be a dedicated press conference on the weather condition on the day of the Opening Ceremony and during the Games. I think I will reserve the answer to that press conference so that we can concentrate on talking about the weather for the Opening Ceremony. Thank you.
Channel Nine, Australia
I am just wondering you spend many billions of dollars to build these beautiful stadiums but we can't see them, would we be able to see them once the Games start apart from the athletes who are competing in these conditions. Would we be able to see them clearly because we can not see them clearly now?
Du Shaozhong
I think I'll answer this question, and also Mr. Guo should join me in answering this question together. Throughout the year, on many days, we can have a clear visibility of the Bird's Nest with very beautiful photos. However, on certain circumstances, it is not clearly visible from the distance such as in rainy and dark days. It is quite natural. For example, when you are taking a bath in the bathroom, you are unable to see the one opposite us. It does not mean there is pollution. I'm not saying that there is no problem with our air quality. I put it explicitly that there is room for improvement in terms of the air quality. Therefore, we should approach the issue from a right angle which sometimes involves common sense when asked how to judge the sky with a deep blue or ashes. While the blue sky is a colloquial expression; it has something to do with the air quality. However, it's not equated with air quality for up to standard days or environmentally sound blue days. We should focus on the statistics gathered on the monitoring processes and we should base our replies on data.
Guo Hu
I want to follow up the answer. Since the beginning of this year, there has been more precipitation in Beijing. There had been more rainy days. For example, in the past June, we experienced the 14 days of precipitation in contrast to the average level of 10 days during June. Therefore, we have more rainy days and a great amount of precipitation. From the second half of June to first half of July, there had been a period of daily rains with thunders. Therefore, with convection perturbations, it is very good for the dispersal and removal of pollutants in the air. Towards the end of June, we have enjoyed a great number of days above level 2 in terms of air quality. So the residents would say that is not blue sky but that the air quality was indeed good during these days.
Secondly, in this year, there were 30% more of rainy days or precipitation more than the previous years. Therefore, the air is moisture with greater humidity, reaching 70% to 80% in daytime and 80% to 90% at night. Therefore, since late June, we have many foggy days, which were mainly attributed to water vapor in the air with a lot of deflection and reflection of sunshine. Therefore, sometimes, the visibility is not so good. However, it is mainly caused by greater number of rainy days.
World Journal
My question is for Mr. Du. For overseas Chinese, we are not only interested in the Olympic Games, we are more interested in the air quality in Beijing after the Games. Now we have the vehicle restriction; the 'odd and even numbers restriction', but all those are tentative measure. For overseas Chinese, we are very much interested or concerned that when the Games are over, are we going to sustain the environmental performance? For example, for the closing down of heavily polluting factories and the motor vehicle restriction, are there going to have a follow-up measure to sustain them? Thank you.
Du Shaozhong
I think we have a positive answer to this question as elaborated that all these measures, most of them are carried out on a permanent basis. Some tentative initial reduction measures include the motor vehicle control and closing down the heavily polluting companies. It might be effective to some extent. However, these ideas and concepts will be carried forth even after the Games. The very important part of the issue is that the Olympic Games has provided a golden opportunity to further improve the air quality in Beijing. After the Games, on building what we have already achieved, we will build Beijing as an inhabitable city to satisfy the Beijing residents, Chinese residents, and the overseas Chinese. Thank you very much.
Wall Street Journal
Hello, I am from the wall street journal. I would like to talk about last week, not the previous month, not the last year but just the last week. In this week, you have implemented basically the toughest measure ever taken to control pollution in Beijing. And yet you still have two days according to your measures, of unacceptably high pollution which includes level three health alerts for the old and the sensitive for outdoor activity. Are your toughest measure working? Do you have any evidence that they have done anything for the air pollution for the last week? Thank you.
Du Shaozhong
The answer is yes. The measures we have been taking are effective in the long run. There is evidence pointing to three issues or three problems. First, it shows the emission reduction measures are effective on an initiative or preliminary basis. Since July 20th, the index of air pollution during five days during the week are 55、65、67、89、113、110, with four days meeting the standard, and two days reaching grade three. Compared to the same weather conditions last year, noticeable improvement has been achieved. Without these measures, the concentration of these pollutants would have been much higher. The second is that for all our measures, it is important to sustain them and to carry them onward. Only with one week, we have some initial successes. However, we have realized the need to sustain these measures so that they can be more effective. And the third issue is a surprise. The data we announced indicates that we are treating the air quality in a scientific manner. In the meantime, it shows we keep our promises. According to some media report, in the past, in the meteorological report, they didn't mentioned 100 to 130 data, but the past week strongly suggested the 113 and 113 index. So I think the solution to this problem is surprising to us. Thank you.
Reporter from foreign media
Are you using any of the artificial means to change the weather? And in that case, what means?
Du Shaozhong
For artificial measurement of the weather, I actually don't quite understand the question. If we use artificial means to reduce the emission to improve the air quality, that is quite possible. We have made such efforts and results have been achieved. And that is indisputable fact. However, we have not tried to use artificial means as the main power to improve the weather. Thank you.
Reporter from foreign media
An artificial way to have more rain? This is what people say, that there are some chemicals that has been fired to the cloud, I don't know. Artificially provoking rains in these days?
Guo Hu
As what Mr. Du said, we have taken a lot of measures to improve the air quality in Beijing, including the car restriction according to odd and even numbers. And also the air quality issue is the pledge of the Chinese government to IOC. All the measures have been implemented can ensure the pledge of the commitment of the Chinese government to IOC.
Beijing Radio Station
The directors have talked a lot about the improvement of the air quality by all evidence. From the foreign media, we can see some athletes are still concerned about the air quality. They hesitate to come to Beijng. Even some people say they are going to wear masks. What suggestions do you have for those athletes?
Du Shaozhong
I have a suggestion for all the media friends. I hope that you will convey the result we have achieved in improving the air quality and also our commitment for all the athletes so that they don't have any concerns and they will come to compete in Beijing and all the activities in Beijing. Thank you.
China Radio International
I have a question. To ensure the air quality of the Beijing Olympics, what suggestion do you have for the Beijing citizens?
Du Shaozhong
I think it would better answered by Mr. Zhang. His work is to encourage people for participation in green transportation. I think Mr. Zhang would like to add a few more words on that.
Zhang Jianyu
Thank you, Mr. Du. In fact, to answer your question in a direct way. The Beijing government has issued a letter, calling all the Beijing citizens to carry out green transportation to improve the environment quality in the city. The government ensured to carry out such measures. And more importantly is the participation of the general public. Because a few days ago, I read a survey done by Horizon Research Consultancy Group, actually the Chinese are very much concerned about our environment. One of the important thing is that they don't have any expertise, financial or some guidance so that the general public will participate and protect the environment. Looking back, over the past years on the issue of general participation, this is a gradual process actually. Beijing Olympic Games gives us a very good opportunity to improve the habit of protecting environment on two points. One is that we need a driving force. This is an opportunity we can form that habit and customs. And what benefit we have? We people have realized the benefit of good habit and then we need to have a good way to sustain the habit. So over the last three years, we call on the car-free days. And also the car restriction measures in the past week. This is the good opportunity for the public. You have read the newspaper that the traffic has been good due to the car restrictions. From July 20, the car restriction has provided benefit. I think people can sustain and keep the habit. Thank you.
Xinhuanet.com
I have 2 questions. The first is for Mr. Du, we mentioned that the car restriction and closing down of heavy polluting industries which are conducive to improve the air quality. Can you give us any specific data and information before and after the measures being undertaken? Second question is with regards to the weather which is hot and stuffy, are the hazy days related to the up to the standard days, what are the reasons?
Du Shaozhong
The first question, we can not compare this week with last week because we have a different meteorological condition. So we need to compare this year with the same period of last year. Under the same meteorological conditions, what will happen? That is the way to compare. As for the specific data, I have mentioned them earlier. Last week, for the last 6 days, the indices of the 6 days of last week are 55, 65, 67, 89, 113, 110.
Guo Hu
Let me answer your 2nd question. After July 20th, basically there are no rainy days and the temperature is very high, 30 to 34. In day times, the humidity is 60-70%, at night time it is 80-90%. As I said, we have not rainy days, however, we have a lot of rainy days before that and there is a lot of concentration of water at the lower altitude, so the high temperature and humidity lead to the sultry days. We have also seen that there were not many windy days, and wind speed is only 1 to 2 meters per second. So what we feel is related to the temperature and wind speed. Now the temperature is high and humidity is high, so people feel these days are sultry days.
Reporter from Netherlands
We've been mentioning the hazy mornings in the last couple of days, you've just mentioned that it does not automatically mean that this is pollution. However, we have seen some substandard days in the Statistics. My question to you is if this is not pollution that we are seeing, could you explain to us what are we seeing in this kind? Secondly, I would like to ask a question to you about the gradual shutdown of Shougang Steel Factories in the last couple of weeks. Do you have some specific details on how the shutdown of Shougang Steel Factories has contributed to the environmental protection?
Du Shaozhong
The first question is a very simple one, I elaborated on that from different angles. The color of days is related to the meteorological conditions as well as the pollutants concentration in the air. The second question was also been mentioned. All these measures in place are very good to improve the air quality. Thank you.
Wang Hui
Thank you very much for coming. Thank you for the staff and interpreters also.
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