Another way of living | Reversing Air Pollution

Kitakyushu, Japan

(Photo Source: https://kitaqmeeting.jp/trans-city)

Lets begin with this photograph.

“The City of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture is the 13th largest city in Japan. Located on Kyushu island just south of the Japanese main island, it is regarded as a gateway to Asian economies. The city was developed by the steel industry in the modern era (1900s), and grew to become one of the largest industrial zones in Japan. However, by the 1950s and 1960s, its rapid development had led to air and water pollution. The Dokai Bay area was contaminated by factory emissions and industrial and domestic wastewater, and came to be dubbed the ‘sea of death’. The local administration was forced to act, and the city dramatically recovered from the environmental degradation. Kitakyushu set out to become the World Capital of Sustainable Development; and it became known for its sustainability initiatives, many of which involved partnerships with residents, enterprises, research institutes and government administrations.”

And all of these changes happened while the industry and commercial enterprises continued. It was an outcome of efforts on the part of everyone – from the local population to the city to the manufacturing centers themselves.

How did they resolve it?

It started with the citizens. Women’s association, local citizens created a push for the council, administration and companies to take action (1950s, 1960s). Eventually it led to the measurement of pollution, and slowly a pact was established between the cities and the companies operating there, with companies agreeing to put in place pollution control facilities and improving the process of production itself. At the same time, in 1970, the Japanese parliament ‘Pollution Diet of 1970’ came in force given Japan itself had reached 2.5 PM

“Pushed by the voices of its citizens, the Kitakyushu administration started to take action to grasp the actual situation by measuring the level of air pollution. It then gave instructions and conducted on-site inspections at these companies urging them to take measures to improve the situation. Finally, the city concluded a pact on pollution prevention with each plant and established the Council on Air Pollution Prevention made up of the city, Fukuoka Prefecture, then Regional Bureaus of International Trade and Industry and about 30 companies in the city. These companies responded by putting pollution control facilities in place as well as improving the process of production.”

In fact, the idea of pollution standard is recognized across less than 100 countries and territories of the world (158/252 do not have one).

More than half of all countries and territories around the world — 158 out of 252 — don’t have a pollution standard at all.

Its strategy emphasizes retrofitting existing urban areas, enhancing public transport, and fostering a culture of environmental stewardship. Governance is highly collaborative, involving local authorities, businesses, and residents. The city’s achievements include impressive reductions in air and water pollution and a shift toward renewable energy and circular economy principles.

Eventually, by 1980s, the blue skies came back, and to the ‘sea of death’ which could not even harbour bacteria, returned fish of their own accord.

There is another aspect to it as well – part of the changes also happened because of gradual de-industrialization of the place.

The city has been awarded many awards and features in many green lists and shares its know-how with others struggling with similar problems.

“Kitakyushu City, once known as a “town of pollution,” now plays the role of the driving force in creating a recycling-oriented society in Japan making use of the experience and know-how it accumulated in the process of overcoming its pollution in order to provide international cooperation.”

The city attributes it to solid waste management programmes (esp bags for waste which are to be sealed tightly.

Key Takeaways

Following chart summarizes some of the efforts across the instruments of pollution (From Institution for Global Environment Strategies)

The key takeaways or lessons from the industrial pollution and its reversal in Kitakyushu:

1. Public pressure leading towards voluntary agreements for industrial pollution management
2. The capacity building of local government to enforce these agreements
3. Innovative industrial measures to reduce pollution with continued economic growth objectives.

Understanding Air Pollution – an album of charts from internet

Following shows the world’s carbon emissions by sector. Energy related are the biggest source. Followed by Agriculture, Industrial Processes and Waste.

2. Looked at another way, the average annual exposure to air pollution:

3. In terms of the kind of pollutants, it is Carbon monoxide, followed by Volatile organic compounds (non methane), Nitrogen Oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide.

4. Following shows the emissions across pollutants & key geographies.

5. But a relevant thing here is the kind of pollution as well. There is a lot of indoor pollution in the world because clean cooking fuel is not available.