Public opinion reflects new stance
Approximately 1.2 million people die every year in China due to exposure to air pollution.
One hospital alone is said to have admitted over 900 children with respiratory problems during the event.
London has been plagued by many deadly smog events over the 20th century. In November 1948, it's estimated that between 700 and 800 people lost their lives.
The overall death rate is unknown, but one event in particular, in 1873, led to the deaths of 268 people due to smog-induced bronchitis. The poor East End area of the city was the most affected.
In January 2013, the country was hit by an earlier smog incident. The haze was so thick that it could be seen from space.
In January 1956, the death toll was around 1,000. Then number of deaths due to the smog in December 1957 was 750.
It's estimated that between 340 and 700 people died in 1962.
Sources: (Grunge) (The Guardian) (National Geographic) (History Extra) (NPR) (The New York Times) (Greenpeace) (Reuters)
See also: Terrifying facts about pollution from around the world
Greenpeace estimates that the poor air quality in Malaysia is responsible for an estimated 32,000 deaths each year.
While numbers do not account for the long-term effects of the 1953 and 1966 events, it is estimated that around 200 people died during each smog incident.
The unsafe levels of air pollution led the government to declare a state of emergency. This was the first time it had done so since September 1997, when a similar event occurred.
The New York Times reported that in the 1960s, deaths from pulmonary emphysema and chronic bronchitis skyrocketed in the city.
The two deadliest smogs to ever take place in the Big Apple both occurred in November. First in 1953, and then again in 1966. Numerous incinerators spread across the city polluted the NYC air.
In 2005, the country was hit by a thick haze caused by smoke originating from wildfires in the neighboring Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Official death numbers are unknown, but a collaborative study between Beijing's Tsinghua University and Boston's Health Effects Institute estimates that the death toll was around 366,000.
In 2016, at least 24 big cities in China were affected by dangerous levels of air pollution. It is estimated that as much as half a billion people were affected by it.
The air pollution levels were 50 times higher than what the World Health Organization deemed safe.
The death toll at the time was an estimated 4,000, but more recent research has suggested that numbers might have been closer to 12,000.
Not only did people die, but cattle were also affected. The Great Smog of London eventually led to the creation of legislation to clean up the country's air.
Official figures estimate that the 1991 smog killed at least 160 people in the capital, after they were exposed to unsafe levels of nitrogen dioxide in the air.
Before becoming the idyllic European destination that it is today, in 1930 the area was home to 27 factories, which, of course, polluted the air—a lot.
It is said that the main culprit was the smog's sulfuric acid content. But other pollutants, including silicon tetra-fluoride, have been blamed for the deaths of people, cattle, and vegetation.
Years later, however, it has been suggested that the death toll could have been a lot higher, especially in the aftermath.
Between December 3 and 5, the lack of wind and thick mist trapped all the air pollution coming out of the factories, killing 60 people as a result.
The 1952 event, better known as the Great Smog of London, was triggered by an anticyclone (weather phenomenon) that trapped an unsafe, high number of pollutants (including sulfur dioxide). The event lasted for five days, from December 5 to December 9.
It is estimated that around 104,000 people fled Moscow during this period. Still, by October the stats pointed to 56,000 more deaths, when compared to the previous year.
As a result, Moscow's daily mortality rate skyrocketed from around 370 people to 700. Particulate matter and smog were 3.4 times over the level of safety, and carbon monoxide at one point reached 6.6 times the acceptable levels.
In the summer of 2010, the Russian capital endured one of the worst heat waves in the country's history. The heat, air pollution, and the over 550 wildfires combined, contributed to a thick smog forming in the city.
Records of smog events in the capital go as far back as 1813. This event was followed by many others, namely in 1873, 1880, 1882, 1891, and 1892. Some of these smog events lasted for months!
It's estimated that 43% of the local population suffered long-term health effects following the smog. The Donora smog kick-started the movement that led to the passing of the Clean Air Act of 1963.
Most people will associate smog with London. Indeed, the term was coined by a Dr. Henry Antoine des Voeux in 1905 in a Public Health Congress meeting in London. Smog as such, however, has been around since the Industrial Revolution.
An uncommon weather event trapped air pollution, and the smog lasted until October 31, 1948. The incident claimed the lives of 20 people.
Donora had two big industrial plants, namely the Donora Zinc Works, and American Steel and Wire. Smog was therefore nothing new. But things were a bit different on October 27, 1948.
Yes, it's London again. The 1991 incident happened between December 12 and 15. Traffic-related pollutants, cold weather, and the absence of wind were a recipe for disaster.
The issue began in Pakistan and other neighboring countries where the air pollution has become so bad that they have had to declare a health emergency, stop all construction work, close schools, and halt university classes. So far almost two million people have fallen sick and, as a result, certain areas have been forced to go into lockdown
The smog has now migrated over to northern India, where it has enveloped the city's capital and shrouded the Taj Mahal to the point of obscurity. Sadly, this is not a new issue, as Delhi regularly ranks amongst the worst cities for air pollution. The government is looking at measures to tackle the worsening crisis.
Smog is a term used to describe a combination of smoke and fog, and it can be caused by a variety of factors, including weather conditions, air pollution, factories, and wildfires. Currently, the air pollution in Delhi is 50 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily maximum. However, this is not the first time that smog has descended upon a city and threatened the lives of its inhabitants.
Click through this gallery to learn about the deadliest smogs in history.
Hazardous levels of smog cover Delhi and force schools to close
Pakistan and parts of northern India have declared a health emergency
LIFESTYLE Pollution
Delhi, the capital city of India and home to over 30 million people, is battling a smog crisis as air pollution reaches critical levels.
The issue began in Pakistan and other neighboring countries where the air pollution has become so bad that they have had to declare a health emergency, stop all construction work, close schools, and halt university classes. So far almost two million people have fallen sick and, as a result, certain areas have been forced to go into lockdown
The smog has now migrated over to northern India, where it has enveloped the city's capital and shrouded the Taj Mahal to the point of obscurity. Sadly, this is not a new issue, as Delhi regularly ranks amongst the worst cities for air pollution. The government is looking at measures to tackle the worsening crisis.
Smog is a term used to describe a combination of smoke and fog, and it can be caused by a variety of factors, including weather conditions, air pollution, factories, and wildfires. Currently, the air pollution in Delhi is 50 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily maximum. However, this is not the first time that smog has descended upon a city and threatened the lives of its inhabitants.
Click through this gallery to learn about the deadliest smogs in history.