Last week, extensive regions of North America were engulfed in smoke from wildfires, leading to poor air quality in cities across the United States and Canada. In response to this ongoing issue, cities around the world that have dealt with emergency levels of air pollution have implemented innovative solutions. Beijing, China, for example, took drastic measures to improve air quality ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in 2014. Factories were shut down, construction work slowed, and traffic was restricted based on license plate numbers. This odd-even traffic rule limited the number of vehicles on the road, reducing congestion and pollution. However, the impact on residents was significant. Similar challenges were faced by New Delhi, India, which has comparable air pollution to Beijing. To address this, Indian authorities introduced a Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in 2016. The plan consists of different stages of emergency measures depending on the severity of air pollution levels, including fines for garbage burning, restrictions on diesel generators, and increased public transportation. Bogota, Colombia, also has a graded response plan in place and has taken a long-term approach to tackling air pollution. The city aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 by replacing fossil fuel-powered vehicles with sustainable alternatives and implementing changes in land use policies. Paris, France, has made significant improvements in air quality through measures such as pedestrianizing streets, creating dedicated bicycle lanes, and banning old cars. However, North American cities face unique challenges due to their sprawled-out nature and heavy reliance on cars. As these cities continue to grow, they will need to consider sustainable urban design, increased public transportation access, and the integration of renewable energy sources to improve air quality in the long term. With wildfires becoming more prevalent and severe due to climate change, addressing air pollution is crucial to protecting public health and the environment.
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