The Beijing Olympics were conceived under massive clouds, both literal and political. But as the world gathered to watch the 2008 games, the skies—physically, anyway—cleared due to a number of unprecedented pollution restrictions in China. Now the country aims to maintain some of those restrictions, hoping to carry its newly-cleaned air into the future. The only question is, will China’s economy be able to keep up?

 

A green revolution was evident in the games from the earliest stages of planning. Olympic venues were designed to make full use of available wind and solar resources, while large parks were erected in the center of Beijing. But as this photo shows, simply improving energy efficiency and planting a few trees wasn’t going to get the job done.

Acting with a speed and decisiveness astounding for its large size, the Chinese government began implementing a number of policies to try and stem the smoggy haze that had come to envelope much of the city on a regular basis. Gas subsidies that had been created to fuel China’s massive economic growth were slashed, raising the price of automotive travel and quieting demand.

A few days later, state-owned vehicle use was cut to 30% of its previous levels, while an even/odd driving system was established for private cars, keeping half of the personal automobiles in the city off Beijing’s crowded streets at any given moment. To compensate for the influx of non-driving commuters, operational hours of Beijing’s recently expanded mass transit system were extended.

As the games drew closer, China even went so far as to ratchet down industrial production around the capital, closing some 26 different construction sites, and ordering 267 different firms to shut down over a month before the opening ceremonies. While unthinkable in Western countries, these restrictions did make a significant impact in the pollution levels in the capital, with only a few days of less-than-excellent air quality recorded during the 2008 Olympics.

But with the Olympic torch now extinguished, China must face the economic consequences of such a sudden, if effective, environmental program. Many estimates put the cost of the games at 50 billion dollars, but the economic impacts may dwarf that in the end; even the influx of Olympic tourists barely registers in a country that sees more than 130 million visitors a year.

The trick now for China is to continue building on -- and with -- the slew of green technologies showcased at the Olympics. Cleaner air will encourage physically activity and good health, which could in turn reduce the costs of the nation’s state-run health care system, while continued improvements and expansions for mass transit could cut congestion, construction costs, gas prices, and pollution. With a little luck, China can turn its massive production engine to greener industries, and avoid the post-Olympic declines that have haunted past games.

Photo by Flickr user angus_mac_123