Beijing Offers a Helping Hand: A Blueprint to Beat Delhi’s Toxic Smog

Winter in India’s national capital has become synonymous with hazardous haze, respiratory issues, and visibility dropping to near zero. While residents of New Delhi gasp for breath, another major Asian capital, once dubbed the "smog capital of the world," is enjoying blue skies. Recognizing the shared struggle against rapid urbanization and environmental degradation, the Chinese Embassy has reached out with a detailed guide on how Beijing successfully conquered its pollution crisis.

Yu Jing, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy, took to social media platform X to share a constructive roadmap. She emphasized that while cleaner air does not happen overnight, it is an achievable goal with the right strategies. To prove her point, she shared striking "before and after" photographs of Beijing, showcasing the city's transformation over the last decade.

Stark Contrast in Air Quality

Data shared by the embassy highlighted a worrying disparity. On December 15, while Delhi Air Pollution levels pushed the Air Quality Index (AQI) to a severe 447, Beijing recorded a comfortable AQI of just 67.

How Did Beijing Do It?

The guide provided by Jing breaks down the specific measures China adopted. A major focus was placed on vehicular emissions. Beijing implemented ultra-strict standards comparable to Euro 6 norms—similar to India's BS-VI standards—but paired them with rigorous enforcement.

Key strategies included:

• Phasing out old vehicles: High-emission cars were systematically removed from roads.
• Traffic restrictions: Implementation of license-plate lotteries and restrictions based on weekdays.
• Public Transport: Massive investment in expanding metro and bus networks.
• EV Adoption: Rapid transition toward electric mobility.

Regional Coordination is Key

Perhaps the most critical advice for India involves regional cooperation. Beijing’s success relied heavily on coordinated policies across the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region to stop pollution from spilling over.

This contrasts sharply with the situation in India, where the National Capital Region struggles to coordinate with neighboring states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh regarding farm fires and industrial emissions. While India has the laws in place, such as the ban on non-BS VI vehicles, the Chinese model suggests that consistent enforcement and regional unity are the missing pieces of the puzzle.
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Image Source: Moneycontrol