Beijing (& Hebei Province As A Whole) To Create “Green Necklace” To Reduce Smog

As part of the ongoing effort to deal with the region’s extensive air pollution problems, the Chinese capital of Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei as a whole will be planting trees and creating new greenbelts, according to recent reports.

The idea is apparently to leverage existing rivers, wetlands, mountains, and open spaces, to create a “green necklace” that will help (somewhat) to reduce smog problems, the Hebei government has revealed.

To explain further, much of the pollution in Beijing comes from the often poorly regulated heavy industry in Hebei Province, rather than from within the city of Beijing itself. So, the proposed greenbelt will be used to provide a barrier of sorts surrounding the city.

Reuters provides more: “Policymakers are also trying to tackle the problem of overdevelopment and overpopulation in fast-growing Beijing itself, known as ‘big city syndrome’, and the new cross-regional plan will aim to restrict urban development on the capital’s borders.

“The plan, which also set out new unified public service and transportation rules for Beijing and surrounding border areas, is part of the government’s long-term ‘Jing-Jin-Ji’ program to integrate Beijing, Hebei, and the port city of Tianjin.

“The development of separate ‘fortress economies’ in the region was blamed for widening income disparities and causing a ‘race to the bottom’ when it came to environmental law enforcement.”

In related news, Beijing actually decommissioned its last coal-fired power plant earlier this month, and has been making strong efforts as of late to encourage a transition to electric vehicles from internal combustion engine vehicles. For more on the city’s progress and world-leading plans, see:

China Will Replace All 67,000 Fossil-Fueled Taxis In Beijing With Electric Cars

Reports Reveal Beijing To Cut Coal Use By 30% In 2017

Photo via Yinan Chen