Beijing reported 203 "blue sky days" in the first 10 months of the year, one day more than the same period of last year, raising hopes that the national capital would hit this year's target of 238 days of "fairly good air quality".

 

The Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Monitoring Center reported that rain in the summer months had contributed to better air quality.

 

Beijing was facing a "blue sky" crisis earlier this year after the city only recorded 51 "blue sky" days between January and April, 16 days fewer than the corresponding period last year. Du Shaozhong, deputy head of Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, admitted at the end of May that it was highly unlikely Beijing would reach their target.

 

However, Du has changed his tune. "Rainstorms in the summer helped clean pollutants and dust from the air. A north wind also blew away pollutants," he said.

 

Beijing only experienced 18 "blue sky days" in October, one day less than last year, due to higher temperatures and lighter winds.

 

"We are still confronted with problems to achieve the "blue sky" goal, like increasing gas emission from cars, and we can not expect the weather to resolve (these problems)," said Du. "It needs the joint efforts of all citizens to reduce the emission of pollutants."

 

Beijing launched the "Defending the Blue Sky" program in 1998, when the city had only about 100 days of "blue sky" a year.

 

However, the program has long been overshadowed by the ever increasing number of cars on the roads, energy consumption and construction sites.

 

Beijing has taken a series of measures to improve air quality over the last few years, such as moving industry out of the downtown area, encouraging the use of natural gas and other clean fuels and closing coal-burning furnaces.

 

Last year, Beijing had 234 days of "blue sky," four more than the target. It was the seventh year in a row air quality has improved in Beijing, according to Du.

 

A "blue sky day" does not always mean the sky is blue. It qualifies if the particulate matter in the air is less than 100 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the environmental bureau. Enditem

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 2, 2006)