The year was 2008. Barack Obama was elected US president, Russia invaded Georgia and the global financial system collapsed. It was also the year of the Beijing Olympics. But before the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt raced to victory or any other sporting feats could take place, deadly air pollution had to be addressed.
In the run-up to the Games, Western news outlets regularly reported on the thick smog hanging over Beijing and the risks of pollution causing asthma attacks in endurance runners. In response, the authorities took decisive action, closing factories and introducing other limiting measures.
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