How China cleaned up its air pollution – and what that meant for the climate

Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Delhi: 442. Lahore: 334. Beijing: 16. These are the levels of PM 2.5, one of the principle measures for air pollution, on November 19. As Pakistanis and Indians struggle with hazardous air quality, in Beijing – a city once notorious for its smog – the air quality is currently rated as good. Ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government was so concerned about pollution that it introduced temporary restrictions on cars, shut down factories and stopped work on some construction sites. The measures worked and one study later found that levels of air pollution were down 30% during the period when the temporary Olympic restrictions were in place. It would take a few more years before the Chinese government implemented a clean air action plan in 2013. Since then, China has achieved a dramatic improvement in its air quality. In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to Laura Wilcox, a professor at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading in the UK, to understand how China managed to clean up its air pollution. But Wilcox’s recent research uncovered some unintended consequences from this cleaner air for the global climate: the pollution was actually helping to cool the atmosphere and by taking it away, it may have accelerated global warming. Wilcox explains:

 What we’re seeing is a removing of cooling that’s revealing warming that’s already there. So the air pollution isn’t the cause of the warming. It’s just letting us see stuff that we’ve already done.

Listen to the interview on The Conversation Weekly podcast. You can also read an article by Laura Wilcox and her colleague Bjørn H. Samset about their recent research on The Conversation. This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany, Gemma Ware and Katie Flood. Mixing by Michelle Macklem and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Newsclips in this episode from Voice of America, CBC, AP Archive, ABC (News) Australia, WFLA NBC Channel 8 and PBS. Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available via the Apple Podcasts or Spotify apps. Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter.  https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/

Please leave this field empty

Want more stories
"Your morning jolt of Inspiring & Interesting Stories!"

Sign up to receive awesome articles directly to your inbox.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Please check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Last Updated on September 11, 2025 by Daily News Staff

Before and after: An example of the transformative riverway restoration that Primo Brands and River Partners have joined forces to implement at 10 different sites along the Sacramento and Feather rivers in Northern California to generate lasting water, community, and ecosystem benefits.
Credit: River Partners (CNW Group/Primo Brands Corporation)

Primo Brands and River Partners Launch Groundbreaking River Restoration Project in California

A major public-private partnership aims to conserve water, restore ecosystems, and strengthen climate resilience across the Sacramento and Feather rivers.

Tampa, Fla. & Stamford, Conn. — August 25, 2025 — Primo Brands Corporation (NYSE: PRMB), one of North America’s leading beverage companies and owner of the Arrowhead® Mountain Spring Water brand, has announced a major collaboration with River Partners, a California-based nonprofit specializing in large-scale river and floodplain restoration. The initiative represents a transformative step toward conserving water resources, restoring critical habitats, and advancing climate resilience for communities across California.

Restoring the Lifeblood of California

The project focuses on revitalizing nearly 1,000 acres along the Sacramento and Feather rivers—two waterways that form the backbone of California’s water system, supporting agriculture, biodiversity, and millions of residents. Over the next three years, River Partners will restore 10 multi-benefit floodplain sites with support from Primo Brands’ financial investment.

The restoration is expected to deliver nearly 50,000 acre-feet of volumetric water benefits (VWBs) each year, equivalent to more than 16 billion gallons of water—roughly what 500,000 Californians consume annually.

Beyond water conservation, the initiative will:

• Reconnect rivers to floodplains to improve groundwater recharge.

• Restore salmon spawning and rearing habitats in degraded river corridors.

• Enhance biodiversity and protect endangered species.

• Improve flood protection for vulnerable communities.

• Renew Tribal access to culturally significant natural resources.

Corporate Commitment to Water Stewardship

“At Primo Brands, our mission is to Hydrate a Healthy America™,” said Charles Fogg, Chief Sustainability Officer at Primo Brands. “Collaborating with River Partners allows us to advance our water replenishment goal of helping to restore 100% of water used or displaced by our operations in high-priority watersheds facing shared water challenges.”

River Partners President Julie Rentner emphasized the significance of the collaboration:

“The Sacramento and Feather rivers are the lifeblood of California’s water system. This partnership will not only yield measurable water benefits but also provide critical improvements for endangered species, flood protection, Tribal access, and public health through restored lands.”

A Model for Nature-Based Solutions

The effort underscores the growing role of nature-based solutions in tackling water scarcity and climate change. With one of the largest restoration footprints in the western U.S., River Partners will apply decades of experience to ensure measurable and scalable outcomes.

Advertisement

By aligning private investment with nonprofit expertise, Primo Brands and River Partners are demonstrating a replicable model for safeguarding California’s most critical water supplies.

About the Partners

Primo Brands is a North American leader in healthy hydration, with a diverse portfolio of trusted bottled water brands including Poland Spring®, Pure Life®, Saratoga®, Mountain Valley®, Arrowhead®, Deer Park®, Ice Mountain®, Ozarka®, and Zephyrhills®. The company manages over 80 springs, actively conserves more than 28,000 acres of land, and delivers hydration solutions to homes, businesses, and retail outlets across the U.S. and Canada. Learn more.

River Partners, founded in 1998, is the leading nonprofit dedicated to restoring California’s rivers and floodplains. Its large-scale projects—spanning nearly 20,000 acres statewide—combine farming techniques, ecological science, and community collaboration to advance climate resiliency, biodiversity, and water conservation. Learn more.

Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter.  https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/

Last Updated on June 19, 2025 by Daily News Staff

Aditi Verma, University of Michigan and Katie Snyder, University of Michigan Uncommon Courses is an occasional series from The Conversation U.S. highlighting unconventional approaches to teaching.

Title of course:

Socially Engaged Design of Nuclear Energy Technologies

What prompted the idea for the course?

The two of us had some experience with participatory design coming into this course, and we had a shared interest in bringing virtual reality into a first-year design class at the University of Michigan. It seemed like a good fit to help students learn about nuclear technologies, given that hands-on experience can be difficult to provide in that context. We both wanted to teach students about the social and environmental implications of engineering work, too. Aditi is a nuclear engineer and had been using participatory design in her research, and Katie had been teaching ethics and design to engineering students for many years.

What does the course explore?

Broadly, the course explores engineering design. We introduce our students to the principles of nuclear engineering and energy systems design, and we go through ethical concerns. They also learn communication strategies – like writing for different audiences. Students learn to design the exterior features of nuclear energy facilities in collaboration with local communities. The course focuses on a different nuclear energy technology each year. In the first year, the focus was on fusion energy systems. In fall 2024, we looked at locating nuclear microreactors near local communities. The main project was to collaboratively decide where a microreactor might be sited, what it might look like, and what outcomes the community would like to see versus which would cause concern. Students also think about designing nuclear systems with both future generations and a shared common good in mind. The class explores engineering as a sociotechnical practice – meaning that technologies are not neutral. They shape and affect social life, for better and for worse. To us, a sociotechnical engineer is someone who adheres to scientific and engineering fundamentals, communicates ethically and designs in collaboration with the people who are likely to be affected by their work. In class, we help our students reflect on these challenges and responsibilities.

Why is this course relevant now?

Nuclear energy system design is advancing quickly, allowing engineers to rethink how they approach design. Fusion energy systems and fission microreactors are two areas of rapidly evolving innovation. Microreactors are smaller than traditional nuclear energy systems, so planners can place them closer to communities. These smaller reactors will likely be safer to run and operate, and may be a good fit for rural communities looking to transition to carbon-neutral energy systems. But for the needs, concerns and knowledge of local people to shape the design process, local communities need to be involved in these reactor siting and design conversations.

What materials does the course feature?

We use virtual reality models of both fission and fusion reactors, along with models of energy system facilities. AI image generators are helpful for rapid prototyping – we have used these in class with students and in workshops. This year, we are also inviting students to do some hands-on prototyping with scrap materials for a project on nuclear energy systems.

What will the course prepare students to do?

Students leave the course understanding that community engagement is an essential – not optional – component of good design. We equip students to approach technology use and development with users’ needs and concerns in mind. Specifically, they learn how to engage with and observe communities using ethical, respectful methods that align with the university’s engineering research standards.

What’s a critical lesson from the course?

As instructors, we have an opportunity – and probably also an obligation – to learn from students as much as we are teaching them course content. Gen Z students have grown up with environmental and social concerns as centerpieces of their media diets, and we’ve noticed that they tend to be more strongly invested in these topics than previous generations of engineering students. Aditi Verma, Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan and Katie Snyder, Lecturer III in Technical Communication, College of Engineering, University of Michigan This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.