Beijing issues ‘red alert’ for air pollution

Beijing issued ‘red alert’ on Monday for pollution. Even if the government warned that the Chinese capital would be covered with massive fog from Tuesday to Thursday. China’s leadership has vowed to abatement on environmental predicable along with air pollution. UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon warned a Paris summit of nearly 200 nations against a “climate catastrophe”, urging governments to reach a strong deal to limit world warming. According to the  an online statement, the Beijing city government ordered all outdoor construction work to stop on ‘red alert’ days, besides urging schools to close. The notice, issued due to heavy fog last week, also puts traffic prohibitions on certain types of vehicles in the city of 22.5 million people. According to the authority notice, “Construction waste, excavation transport vehicles, cement trucks, gravel transport vehicles and other large-scale vehicles are restricted from driving on roads.” The warning was an upgrade from an ‘orange alert’ issued over the weekend, part of China’s four-colour warning system that includes yellow and blue levels for less polluted conditions. Chinese researchers have identified pollution as a major source of unrest around the country. As it battles pollution caused by the coal-burning power industry, and will raise questions at the Paris talks about its ability to clean up its economy and environment.