Smog chokes Beijing as climate talks get under way

China’s capital Beijing maintained an “orange” pollution alert, the second-highest level, on Monday, closing highways, halting or suspending construction and prompting a warning to residents to stay indoors - all as climate change talk begin in Paris. The choking pollution was caused by the “unfavorable” weather, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said on Sunday. Emissions in northern China soar over winter as urban heating systems are switched on and low wind speeds have meant that polluted air has not been dispersed. It was the first time this year that authorities have raised the orange alert, second only to red, which means heavy smog is forecast for three days.

This sort of weather, you can see that all of Beijing has been completely enveloped in smog… and for every breath, getting up every morning, your throat will feel particularly uncomfortable.

Beijing resident Zhang Heng

On Monday, the air quality index in some parts of Beijing soared to 500, its highest possible level. At levels higher than 300, residents are encouraged to remain indoors, according to government guidelines. The Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau said on Sunday that it had requested factories to limit or suspend output and had also stopped construction work throughout the city. The ministry said the number of cities affected by heavy pollution had reached 23, stretching across 530,000 square km, an area the size of Spain, but a cold front beginning on Wednesday would see the situation improve.