Online Views Of Smog Documentary "Under The Dome" Approach 10% Of China's Population

[hatrack]

A documentary about China’s shockingly high levels of air pollution that has gone viral within China is being compared to Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.

The self-funded documentary, Under the Dome, by former state television presenter Chai Jing, takes a stark look at China’s air pollution woes by combining personal narrative, striking imagery, on-the-the ground interviews with scientific evidence.

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With reports of more than 100m views online, the documentary has gone viral. Friends are sharing and discussing it on the popular messaging app Wechat and it is being widely discussed and debated on social media. Today is seemed as if everyone in shops and offices were talking about it. While air pollution is not a new topic in China, it certainly has never been addressed in such a stark but also accessible way. It answers scientific questions about what is in the smog (14 different carcinogens) and leaves no doubt as to the dangerous health implications it has. A scene from the surgery of a lung cancer patient leaves nothing to the imagination as doctors remove a blackened lymph node despite the patient never having smoked.

Under the Dome doesn’t hold back in its criticism when examining the causes of pollution. Chai is critical of a lack of oversight and calls for government action in regulating polluters. She is critical of state oil companies for not improving petroleum quality that could help to cut pollution from cars. In a country where criticism is routinely censored, this is brave. But tellingly despite not shying away from harsh criticism, so far widespread online discussion of Under the Dome has been allowed and there appear to have been no efforts to prevent it from being shared and viewed online.

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http://www.theguardian.com/environment/chinas-choice/2015/mar/02/viral-china-pollution-film-is-brave-personal-and-powerful

[Sienna86]

1. That's got to be a tipping point for the population.

Word will spread. Then, what happens? Will the people insist on improving their environment?

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Under the Dome: The climate film taking China by storm

At other points, the documentary is deeply critical of the state's lax environmental laws. In one instance, Ms Chai follows a government inspector to measure the illegal pollutants coming from a coal-burning steel producer in central Hebei province.

Months later, she discovers the steel maker had yet to pay any fines.

When she asks a provincial official why the coal-burning factories cannot be shut down, the answer is astonishingly blunt.

"It just doesn't work to sacrifice employment for the environment," Ms Chai is told.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-china-blog-31689232

Brave to criticise the state like that - but they seem to recognise it's needed criticism.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. China takes Under the Dome anti-pollution film offline

The authorities in China have removed from websites a popular documentary which highlights the country's severe pollution problem.

Under the Dome explains the social and health costs of pollution, and was watched by more than 100 million people online, sparking debates.

It was removed just two days after Premier Li Keqiang called pollution a blight on people's lives.

Mr Li had promised to fight it with all the government's might.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-31778115

[hatrack]

4. Oh, well there's a surprise

And in Floriduh, government officials can't use the words "global warming" or "sustainability".

What's the difference?