Air pollution remains a major concern ahead of next August's Beijing Olympics, the UN said yesterday, while generally giving the city high marks for its efforts to ensure the event will be environmentally sound.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge has said Beijing's dirty air might force some outdoor endurance events to be postponed or moved to other locations.
"Extensive use of coal, the city's geographical location and a growing number of motor vehicles means the pace of improvement in Beijing's air quality is slow. Particularly worrying are the levels of small particulate matter ... in the atmosphere which is severely harmful to public health," said Eric Falt, the official in charge of the UN Environment Program's sports and environment project.
The UN report -- which reviewed environmental issues ahead of the Beijing Games -- found that the average level of small particulate matter in Beijing's air last year was eight times higher than the level recommended by the WHO.
Other forms of air pollution -- sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide -- rose or failed to drop last year following three years of decline, according to the report, which was based heavily on Chinese statistics.
However, "[China has] never committed to reaching those specific WHO standards within the timeframe of the Games," Falt said.
The report was generally positive about other environmental aspects of the preparations, praising the Beijing organizing committee's efforts in waste management, transportation and water treatment.
Solar power will be extensively used at venues and the Olympic village, and organizers have made an "extraordinary achievement" in avoiding chemicals that damage the ozone layer, the report said.
"You have to bear in mind this is the first time Olympics have been held in a developing country," said Khalid Malik, the UN representative in Beijing. "The fact that Chinese authorities have managed to move so fast, so rapidly is impressive. Clearly not everything will be settled perfectly and that's the way life is."
Meanwhile, chief Olympic inspector Hein Verbruggen foresees no "risks or dangers" in the preparations for the Beijing Games.
Speaking at the end of the penultimate three-day visit of the IOC's inspection team yesterday, Verbruggen said he was confident the Games would be of the highest standard even if there was still much detailed work to be done over the remaining 288 days.
DETERRENCE: With 1,000 indigenous Hsiung Feng II and III missiles and 400 Harpoon missiles, the nation would boast the highest anti-ship missile density in the world With Taiwan wrapping up mass production of Hsiung Feng II and III missiles by December and an influx of Harpoon missiles from the US, Taiwan would have the highest density of anti-ship missiles in the world, a source said yesterday. Taiwan is to wrap up mass production of the indigenous anti-ship missiles by the end of year, as the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has been meeting production targets ahead of schedule, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said. Combined with the 400 Harpoon anti-ship missiles Taiwan expects to receive from the US by 2028, the nation would have
POSSIBILITIES EMERGE: With Taiwan’s victory and Japan’s narrow win over Australia, Taiwan now have a chance to advance if South Korea also beat the Aussies Taiwan has high hopes that the national baseball team would advance to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) quarter-finals after clinching a crucial 5-4 victory over South Korea in a nail-biting extra-inning game at the Tokyo Dome yesterday. Boosted by three home runs — two solo shots by Yu Chang (張育成) and Cheng Tsung-che (鄭宗哲) and a two-run homer by Stuart Fairchild — the triumph gave Taiwan a much-needed second victory in the five-team Pool C, where only the top two finishers would advance to the knockout stage in Miami, Florida. Entering extra innings with the game tied at four apiece, Taiwan scored
MISSION OF PEACE: The foreign minister urged Beijing to respect Taiwan’s existence as an independent nation, and work together to ensure peace and stability in the region Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) yesterday rejected Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi’s (王毅) comments about Taiwan, criticizing China as a “troublemaker” in the international community and a disruptor of cross-strait peace. Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of the Chinese National People’s Congress, Wang said that Taiwan has always been a territory of China and that it would be impossible for it to become its own country. The “return” of Taiwan to China was the natural outcome of the Chinese people’s resistance against Japan in World War II, and that any pursuit of independence was “doomed
‘UNWAVERING FRIENDSHIP’: A representative of a Japanese group that co-organized a memorial, said he hopes Japanese never forget Taiwan’s kindness President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, urging continued cooperation between Taiwan and Japan on disaster prevention and humanitarian assistance. Lai wrote on social media that Taiwan and Japan have always helped each other in the aftermath of major disasters. The magnitude 9 earthquake struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, triggering a massive tsunami that claimed more than 19,000 lives, according to data from Japanese authorities. Following the disaster, Taiwan donated more than US$240 million in aid, making it one of the largest contributors of financial assistance to Japan. In addition to cash donations and
RSS