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Beijing taking million cars off streets in August trial
(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-03 10:10
Beijing officials will withdraw one million cars from the city's streets next month in a trial run as plans are drawn up to reduce pollution levels for next year's Olympics.
Pollution has been a worry for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as China's economic boom has fuelled increased energy consumption.
"Concerns (over pollution) within the IOC executive board were eased," IOC director of communications Giselle Davies told reporters on Monday after receiving a progress report from Beijing organisers earlier in the day.
"They have a plan from August 7-20 this year: one million cars will be off the road."
She said organisers would trial several plans this year that are designed to prepare the city for the Olympics.
"Obviously the test events provide an excellent opportunity to try out contingency measures that may be used if necessary at the Games," said Davies, who is in Guatemala City for Wednesday's announcement of the host venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Organisers have also said Beijing authorities would replace about 50,000 old taxis and 10,000 buses by the end of the year as well as renovate 16,000 coal-burning factories.
China has slowed, but not reversed, a rising tide of pollution from frenetic industrialisation, the national environment agency said last month in the face of increasing public anger over foul air and water.
The country has promised to cut emissions of major pollutants by 10 percent between 2006 and 2010 but failed last year to meet the annual target.
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