New Delhi finds itself at a critical juncture in its long battle against hazardous air, a struggle once synonymous with China's capital. A recent social media thread from the Chinese embassy has reignited a vital discussion: what can India learn from Beijing's dramatic transformation from the 'smog capital of the world' to a case study in pollution control?
Beijing's Decade of Drastic Improvement
Chinese embassy spokesperson Yu Jing, in a series of posts on X, detailed the rigorous path Beijing followed to achieve cleaner skies. The data underscores a remarkable turnaround. Beijing's annual average PM2.5 concentration plummeted from 101.7 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) in 2013 to 30.9 ug/m3 in 2024, marking a reduction of nearly 70%. Jing emphasised that while both nations face the complex challenge of pollution amid rapid urbanisation, China's sustained, decade-long efforts have yielded tangible results.
A Two-Pronged Attack: Vehicles and Industry
The blueprint for Beijing's success rested on two major pillars. The first was an ultra-strict clampdown on vehicular emissions. The city implemented regulations equivalent to the stringent Euro 6 standards, phased out old, high-emission vehicles, and controlled car growth through mechanisms like license-plate lotteries and odd-even driving rules. Concurrently, it built one of the world's largest metro and bus networks and aggressively accelerated the shift to electric mobility. Crucially, efforts were coordinated across the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region for unified emissions cuts.
The second pillar involved a massive industrial restructuring. Beijing shut down or relocated over 3,000 heavy industries. A landmark move was the relocation of Shougang, one of China's largest steelmakers, which alone reduced inhalable particles by 20%. The vacated industrial sites were transformed into parks, commercial zones, and cultural hubs, with the former Shougang site famously hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics. The city also relieved non-essential functions by moving wholesale markets and logistics hubs, shifting general manufacturing to neighbouring Hebei while retaining high-value sectors.
The Indian Context: Similar Plans, Missing Scale
Many of these interventions are familiar in Indian policy discussions. Cleaner fuels, curbs on private vehicles, and robust public transport have been debated for over a decade. However, experts point to a chasm in execution. Anumita Roy Chaudhuri, Executive Director at the Centre for Science and Environment, notes that China's actions were "urgent, stringent, and at a large scale," targeting 26 cities in a regional approach. "They took deep steps to enable a massive energy transition, like getting rid of coal not only in industry but also in household use," she said, adding that while Delhi-NCR's plans have similarities, "the scale is missing."
Roy Chaudhuri also critiqued the reactive nature of measures in Delhi, which are often activated only during severe air emergencies. "We can't have just emergency measures. The implementation of these actions has to be round-the-clock," she stressed.
Sunil Dahiya, Founder of EnviroCatalyst, acknowledged progress like India's BS6 fuel standards but pinpointed the core issue. "All the steps suggested for vehicular pollution were tried in India, but they didn't work only because there wasn't a political will." On industrial pollution, he suggested that outright relocation of industries across states is complex due to livelihood concerns. Instead, he advocated for better facilities for small enterprises, common pollution control devices, and restructuring industrial clusters, lamenting that no strict measures have been taken against power plants since 2019.
Beijing's journey proves that cleaner air is an achievable goal, but it demands unwavering political commitment, regional coordination, and large-scale, sustained action beyond emergency responses. For Indian cities choking under perennial smog, the lesson is clear: the blueprint exists, but its replication requires a monumental shift in the scale and seriousness of implementation.
