Shanghai's Air Quality ImprovesThe air quality in the east China city of Shanghai has greatly improved, thanks to effective pollution control and afforestation efforts.In the first four months of the year, the city recorded 93 days of high air quality, 15 more than last year. Experts estimate that the city can expect 310 days of fresh air throughout the year, compared with 288 days in 2000. The experts attribute the improvement to the reduction in coal consumption. Over the past decade, several hundred thousands of domestic stoves using coal briquettes and large coal boilers have been eliminated. Several thousands of factories have been relocated to suburban areas, while the remaining factories have taken effective steps to control dust. Increased green areas also played a role. The city's green land coverage hit 22 percent by the end of 2000, and an additional 800 hectares of afforested area will be put into place this year. Shanghai's investment in environmental protection has increased considerably. Last year, it spent 14.1 billion yuan, or 3.1% of its GDP on environmental protection. The figure is expected to exceed 15 billion yuan this year. |
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