China to deploy remote satellite sensing for smog control

SHANGHAI, Aug 27 (SMM) – China will improve the monitoring and control of smog across key regions through satellite remote sensing, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said on Sunday August 26. 

A grid network to monitor the density of PM 2.5, a major pollutant in the atmosphere, will cover “2+26” cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and nearby areas by October. The network is expected to expand to 11 cities in the Fen-wei plain from October and further expand to 41 cities on the Yangtze River Delta from February 2019.

With the new technology, Beijing authorities can identify problems in faraway regions quickly and take immediate action, according to Zhao Qunying, an official in charge of environmental supervision at the ministry.