China can curb smog in less than 30 years: official  

科技部：国外治霾需要30年 我国不需这么长时间

科技部向媒体通报雾霾治理科技工作情况时表示，十年来的研究结果表明，京津冀雾霾天气是内外因叠加的结果。科技部社会发展司司长马燕合称，国外经验表明雾霾治理需要30年左右的时间，我国不需要这么长的时间。 [查看全文]

(ECNS) -- An official at the Ministry of Science and Technology has said that China will not need 30 years to curb smog as some foreign countries have done, the Beijing Times reported on Tuesday.[Special coverage]

Ma Yanhe, director of the ministry's department of social development, made the remarks at a press briefing Monday.

Ma cited a study released by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (ISTIC) on how other megacities in the world like London, Paris and Los Angeles battled smog during their industrial development.

"These countries have managed to control smog, and their stories tell us that smog can be curbed," he said.

However, "improved science and technology and a better environment management scheme can help China accelerate the smog elimination process," Ma added.

But the task of smog elimination can't be done at one go in China, he said. The mission will require all stakeholders to join hands in controlling pollution sources, strengthening green monitoring, and upgrading industrial structures.

The ISTIC study shows that severe smog shrouding the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region has partly been caused by increased anthropogenic discharges, and that static weather and weak wind activity have also contributed.