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Since the beginning of this year, the levels of air pollution in Beijing have been dangerously high, with thick clouds of smog chasing people indoors, disrupting air travel, and affecting the health of millions. The past two weeks have been especially bad -- at one point the pollution level measured 40 times recommended safety levels. Authorities are taking short-term measures to combat the current crisis, shutting down some factories and limiting government auto usage. However, long-term solutions seem distant, as China's use of coal continues to rise, and the government remains slow to acknowledge and address the problems.

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中國人民大學環境學院等機構 3 月 28日（星期四）發佈的《中國城市空氣質量管理績效評估》結果顯示，中國只有 10.67%的城市空氣品質好，其餘 75.80%的城市空氣品質差，還有 13.52%空氣品質極差。其中，空氣品質好的城市中，以經濟發展水準低的城市居多；空氣品質差的城市裏，工業城市、採暖城市所佔比例大；至於空氣品質極差的城市則不少是採暖城市、經濟發展水準高的城市。Chinese People's University College of Environmental Sciences and other institutions on March 28,

2013 (Thursday), "China's urban air quality management performance assessment results show that

only 10.67% of the urban air quality is good, and the remaining 75.80% of the urban air quality is

poor, there are 13.52% poor air quality.

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