Experts divided on anti-pollution measures ahead of major summit(2)

"Air pollution is a regional problem, one that will require factories from Beijing and other surrounding provinces to work together to reduce pollutant emissions," he said.

Zhang Gaoli also said ensuring air quality during APEC is the government's "utmost priority."

Traffic troubles

Apart from ordering temporary factory shutdowns, the municipal government will also seek to ease traffic congestion and reduce vehicle emissions by halving the number of cars on the road through a scheme that allows even and odd-numbered license plates to be driven only on alternating days, a measure last seen during the Olympics. Public workers in the city will be given six days off, and public schools will be closed, which will force many to stay at home or take public transportation.

"Vehicles are one of the main sources of airborne pollutants, so the government's order to reduce the number of cars on the road should be an effective way to reduce emissions," Ma said.

"Traffic congestion has a direct effect on air quality. If traffic is smooth and cars are not stuck on the roads, fewer pollutants will be emitted," Zhang Yuansun, a professor specializing in the environment and energy from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times.

In 2013, the capital had 5.35 million vehicles, producing about 900,000 tons worth of emissions annually, of which 77,000 tons were hydrocarbons and over 80,000 were nitrogen oxides, according to the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.

The government has also increased its street cleaning coverage to 85 percent of the city to reduce dust and other pollutants.

Experts expressed confidence in the government's plan. "A similar air pollution control plan was carried out in the past at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Shanghai Expo, the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games and the 2010 Asian Games. They have all shown that the plan is effective," Ma said.

"It is expected that pollutants discharged in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will be reduced by 30-40 percent," Chai Fahe, vice president of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, said.

However, environmental scientists said that despite such measures, the weather will still be a key determining factor for air quality.

"If the weather is cold and not windy, the government may need to implement stronger measures to improve the air quality," Dai said.

Other concerns

Many citizens have also expressed their worries about the return of heavy air pollution following the end of the APEC meeting.

"The air pollution control plan is only temporary. It cannot tackle the fundamental problem. Problems will return afterward," a local resident surnamed Liu told the Global Times.

"The government only improves the air quality when there is an international event," he added.

Experts have called for more long-term measures to be taken by the government in order to improve air quality in the capital.

"Air quality is not something that you can change in a short period of time. Many countries and cities in Europe and America have strict air pollution control measures but they still have spent at least 30 years trying to deal with their air pollution problems," Zhang said.

He pointed out that there are three areas the government can work on improving to curb pollution, "First, it should improve public transportation to encourage more people to take buses instead of driving their own cars. Second, factories should be modernized to reduce emissions because many are still not very up-to-date. Third, better management should be implemented to take care of construction sites."

Dai also said the government should seek to shift energy usage from coal to natural gases, but expressed concern at the enormous investment required.