Question

Despite Beijing's modern, well-kept web of beltways and feeder roads into the city, driving is not an option now for Ms. Zhao, even though she and her husband own a car. Like most sprawling megacities, traffic - and the resulting, oft-reported pollution problem - is a constant urban plague. More than 4 million cars jostle along Beijing's roadways, with nearly 1,300 added every day, according to the city's Traffic Management Bureau. In April, the city began to adjust the working hours for nearly 810,000 of these commuters, hoping to alleviate the morning and evening rush.

Answer 1

Rapid urbanization and increased vehicle ownership in cities like Beijing and Delhi lead to severe traffic congestion and air pollution. Citizens and authorities employ measures to alleviate these problems, but challenges persist. Projects such as the Belt and Road Initiative indicate a potential shift towards balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability.

Step-by-step explanation:

The challenge of traffic congestion and air pollution in megacities is a pressing issue. With Beijing's burgeoning car ownership contributing to this problem, the city has undertaken measures like adjusting working hours for commuters to alleviate rush hour congestion. However, the heavy smog often disrupts visibility and travel, leading to increasing public skepticism towards the government's pollution ratings. Citizens are consequently taking matters into their own hands by conducting their own pollution measurements to encourage action.

In Indian metropolises such as Delhi, traffic snarls are a common scene, leading to significant pollutant emissions and fuel consumption. The increasing middle-class affluence and car ownership in cities like Mumbai exacerbate the existing challenges of air quality and traffic gridlock, reflecting a broader trend of urbanization and economic growth clashing with environmental stewardship and infrastructure capacity.

China's economic growth and the escalating consumer purchasing power put pressure on world industry to provide goods without extensively depleting resources or causing environmental destruction. The interest in projects like the Belt and Road Initiative signifies a potential shift in how China might balance its economic ambitions with environmental considerations in the future.