{
"authors": [
"Wang Tao"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"Carnegie China"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie China",
"programAffiliation": "",
"programs": [],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"East Asia",
"China"
],
"topics": [
"Climate Change"
]
}
As continued air pollution forces the closure of factories in northern China, numerous questions remain about the effectiveness of these regulations.
Source: CCTV News
147 industrial companies have cut or suspended production in an effort to combat high levels of smog over the last week. Carnegie-Tsinghua’s Wang Tao appeared on CCTV English to discuss the effectiveness of this move. Wang explained that reduced industrial output, while essential to curbing the source of the smog, would not have a significant effect on the smog already present in northeastern China. Stricter enforcement of higher emissions standards is necessary to ensure that factories comply with regulations, and help reduce pollution over the long term. Wang concluded that more attention must be paid to local sources of pollution, such as transportation, in order to reach a sustainable solution to the air pollution problem.
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
2026 has started in crisis, as the actions of unpredictable leaders shape an increasingly volatile global environment. To shift from crisis response to strategic foresight, what under-the-radar issues should the EU prepare for in the coming year?
Thomas de Waal
China plays an increasingly active role in the Kremlin’s hybrid war against Europe. The EU must confront this growing China-Russia cooperation, as it poses grave threats to both European security and economic resilience.
Maksym Beznosiuk
COP30 takes place amidst increased pessimism about the world’s commitment to energy transition and ecological protection. Beset by a host of other challenges, can Europe still maintain its role as a driver of global climate action?
Thomas de Waal
In competition with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Gateway strategy needs to find an edge. To better promote its interests through investment, the EU’s offer must become more coherent, transparent, and accountable.
Ceren Ergenc, Chaofan Yu
The second Trump administration has shifted the cornerstones of the liberal international order. How the EU responds will determine not only its global standing but also the very integrity of the European project.
Rym Momtaz