The History of China’s Air PM 2.5

The History of China’s Air PM 2.5 Name Institution The History of China’s Air PM 2.5 Introduction China’s rise to become one of the largest economies in the world is as a result of the nation’s major developments and investments in a wide range of sectors such as real estate development and mining projects. Coal mining, for instance, functions to supply the country’s high energy demands from its great development projects and programs. However, China’s production activities hurt the nation due to the high rates of air pollution witnessed across different regions. Industrial activities, emissions from motor vehicles, burning of fossil fuels at home for cooking and other energy needs, as well as the burning of agricultural waste products, account for the country’s higher rates of air pollution compared to other industrialized and developed countries in the West. The greatest concern for the country’s deteriorating quality of air is the particulate matter (PM) concentrations, which are unmatched by other countries around the world. China’s particulate matter pollution leads to a wide range of negative effects including public health problems as well as increased energy consumption from air conditioning and purification interventions. A comprehensive analysis of China’s air pollution highlights some of the underlying causes of PM 2.5, its social and economic effects on the Chinese population, the government prevention initiatives, and the current air conditions in the country. * Definition of PM 2.5 Particulate matter pollution refers to the higher concentration of a mixture of tiny particles and droplets of liquids ranging from organic chemicals, acids, and dust or soil particles. In essence, particulate pollution leads to increased concentrations of the outlined complex mixture with adverse repercussions on the air. The mixture of tiny inhalable particles leads to equally hazardous effects such as reduced visibility, increased respiratory infections among the populace, and high costs of interventional measures to curb the alarming trends CITATION HeM17 \l 1033 (He, 2017). Air pollution through particulate matter takes the form of either the tiny droplets or particles with equally diverse sizes of their aerodynamic diameters CITATION HeM17 \l 1033 (He, 2017). PM 2.5 refers to the inhalable particulate matters, with aerodynamic diameters of less than 2.5 micrometers, which find their way into the lungs or the respiratory system and thus posing health problems to human beings CITATION HeM17 \l 1033 (He, 2017). Larger particles with aerodynamic diameters of less than 10 micrometers, also referred to as PM 10, are a common source of air pollution in China. * Factors Contributing to PM 2.5 Air Pollution in China The finer particulate matter pollution, PM 2.5, poses major environmental challenges in China as the country endeavors to continue with its development agenda. Among the primary causes of particulate pollution in China include the rapid rate of industrialization, increased rural-urban migration, and the increasing number of motor vehicle use in the country. Coal supplies a greater percentage of the total Chinese energy needs for both its industrial and household energy needs CITATION Lin18 \l 1033 (Lin,...