The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Gorge said in Osaka Friday that the IOC supports Beijing government's clean-air effort and believe Beijing will reach its anti-pollution goal next year.
"Definitely the IOC supports the goal that decided by the Chinese authorities," said Rogge at a press conference after an IAAF meeting before the opening of the 11th Athletics World Championships in Osaka on Saturday.
Air pollution and heavy traffic are the most concerned problems before Beijing's hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games. As one of a series efforts made by the Beijing government to improve the air quality and traffic situation, about 1.3 million cars were banned each day from roads during a test period from August 17 to 20.
Drivers with even-numbered license plates, excluding taxis, buses and emergency vehicles, were told to stay off the roads on August 17 and 19, while odd-numbered cars were banned on August 18 and 20.
"You have exactly the same situation in some other cities," Rogge said, adding that Athens took a similar measure during the 2004 Games, and it is still applied.
The air quality in the Beijing, which has some 3 million cars, was said to be "fairly good" during the four-day trial, with the air pollution index standing between 93 and 95, down from 116 in the previous day.
The Beijing government is encouraging people to use bicycle and public transportation means at the same time.
Rogge also gave some other examples of Beijing's effort to improve the air quality. "They are planting millions of trees, they are relocating polluting industry to other places in the country, they are making sure that thermal power plants are switching from coal to gas," Rogge said, "We are very hopeful and confident that they would achieve this (their goal) by next year."
Another big move the Chinese government made was relocating the national steel manufacturer, the Beijing Shougang Group, from the capital to a tiny island in Hebei Province, some 200 kilometers east to Beijing.
IAAF President Lamine Diack who held the press conference together with Rogge, agreed with him, saying the 2006 World Junior Athletics Championships was held successfully in Beijing without air problem.
Source: Xinhua
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