China puts up ads showing environmental problems in India

Beijing, July 6

China, the world's largest carbon emitter, has put up advertisements at public places depicting the environmental issues in Indian cities such as Mumbai to warn its people about the impact of climate change and encourage them to plan future around low carbon development.

Advertisements depicting pictures of Mumbai and Allahabad among others have been put up along the streets and places such as Wangfujing city center area in downtown prominently to draw people's attention towards consequences of pollution.

China, which pledges to cut carbon emissions and plan to minimise the adverse impact on its economy, highlighted issues of plastic garbage, sandstorms in Indian cities in its ads and also suggested ways to address the environmental challenges.

One of the ads says the grim situation teenagers faced in Mumbai on not finding appropriate place to play is due to heap of plastic garbage.

"The beaches in Mumbai were covered in plastic garbage, teenagers, eager to release energy of youth, had no choice but to play cricket in the garbage heap," said one of the ads, which prominently highlights a picture showing a boy playing cricket on heap of garbage at a beach.

Another advertisement speaks about Allahabad.

"On July 12, 2015, the city of Allahabad in India was hit by sandstorms, the resulting low visibility made it impossible for pedestrian to see each others in the sand," describes the billboard under the concept of low carbon development. The picture put up with the message shows four persons facing sandstorm while walking in front of a written slogan of 'Ganga Bachao' campaign.

The board of advertisements, written in English as well as Chinese language, have been erected along the footpath and catches attention of visitors in Wangfujing road area, which has shopping malls and is located within walking distance of noted destinations like Forbidden city and Tiananmen Square.

The message about Indian cities are among over a dozen such advertisements which describe environmental issues and problem in other countries also, which included drought in Australia, and shows approach for low carbon activities that could in turn ensure energy security and reduce pollution.

Low-carbon development is China's one of the key strategies to achieve its target of reducing carbon intensity and to make its contribution in solving problems of global warming and sea level rising.

Looking at the projection of population for years to come, China plans its major cities and fast growing urban areas around low carbon development and finds opportunity to create global model for the sustainable and low carbon cities.

For this, the government has developed a low-carbon strategy that includes more efficient energy and wastewater use, transport systems that reduce congestion, and sustainable urban design.

A recent study had pointed out that India and China suffer over USD 1.89 trillion annually in terms of the value of lives lost and ill health caused from air pollution. PTI