Press conference on air quality in Beijing ahead of Olympics
(26 Jul 2008) FILE: 21 November 2007 1. Various of road traffic FILE: 11 March 2008 2. Wide of buildings and traffic in smog 3. Mid of buildings in smog 26 July 2008 4. Wide of officials arriving for news conference 5. Cutaway of reporters 6. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Du Shaozhong, Deputy Director of Beijing MunicIpal Environmental Protection Bureau: "The conclusion is, we can guarantee good air quality during the Olympics and we can guarantee athletes good air environment as well. What's more, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and relevant medical committees have already concluded that Beijing is able to guarantee the air quality." FILE: 17 July 2008 7. Wide of traffic police monitoring station 8. Close-up of monitoring camera 9. Mid of screen showing traffic situation 26 July 2008 10. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Du Shaozhong, Deputy Director of Beijing MunicIpal Environmental Protection Bureau: "After one week's implementation of strict measures and one month's car ban, it has been very effective now. But it also reminds us of another issue, that is, we should continue these policies and bring the effects to its maximum." FILE: 11 March 2008 11. Various of road traffic STORYLINE: Beijing is able to guarantee good air quality for athletes during the forthcoming Olympics and measures taken to reduce air pollution will be continued, a top Beijing environmental official told a news conference in Beijing on Saturday. "We can guarantee good air quality during the Olympics and we can guarantee athletes good air environment as well," said Du Shaozhong, Deputy Director of Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau. "What's more, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and relevant medical committees have already concluded that Beijing is able to guarantee the air quality," Du added. Some athletes had reportedly decided not to attend the Beijing Olympics - which will open on August 8 - because of the bad air quality in Beijing and others were planning to wear masks during the Games, some reports said. Beijing's polluted skies have been one of the biggest worries ahead of the Olympics, prompting authorities to take drastic steps. One major part of the plan, which began on Sunday, removed half of the city's 3.3 (m) million private cars on alternate days depending on whether their license plates ended in odd or even numbers. Beijing had already banned 300,000 heavily polluting vehicles, such as aging industrial trucks, since July 1. Construction sites across the city were also shut down on July 20, while heavily polluting factories were required to either shut down operations or reduce emissions by 30 percent. Du said measures like the car ban would be continued in order to reduce air pollution beyond the Olympics. "After one week's implementation of strict measures and one month's car ban, it has been very effective now," he said at the news conference on Saturday. Despite the official optimism, the Beijing skyline was still covered by a thick, grayish haze on Friday, which reduced high-rise buildings to ghostly outlines. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
