Focus on Arts and Ecology

Researchers have found that exhaust discharged from automobiles is now the primary source of air pollution in Beijing, ahead of coal burning, reportedScience and Technology Daily. Studies found that the biggest source of fine particles (PM2.5) in Beijing has shifted from sulphates, a result of coal burning, to nitrates, which are associated with automobile exhaust. While the phenomenon shows that massive coal control campaigns are successfully reducing pollution, the Chinese capital now faces the challenge of electrifying its vehicle fleet. Faced with huge financial pressure from generous subsidises for electric cars, China has recently adjusted its subsidy scheme by raising them for vehicles with a long range and raising the threshold for subsidy eligibility to discourage the production of basic, low-tech EVs with poor batteries.