Breathing fresh life into "smog city"

                Title:       China Gas - Lanzhou_Global  version_ENG

                Duration: 3:27 minutes

                Description:   

 

                China Gas - Lanzhou_Global version_ENG Transcript

 

[Background music plays]

Upbeat music

[Video footage]

Shots of a man running through the streets of Lanzhou

 

[Dialogue: Wang Lei (Subtitled)]

To me running is a part of life. If it was ten years ago, I wouldn't run very far because the air wasn’t as good as it is now.

 

[Video footage]

Interview of Wang Lei

 

[Title]

WANG LEI

LANZHOU RESIDENT

[Dialogue: Wang Lei (Subtitled)]

You wouldn’t want to run wearing a mask, right?

[Video footage]

Wide aerial shot of park in Lanzhou

[Title – Text on visuals]

TRANSFORMING LANZHOU

 

[Video footage]

Smoke dissolves in

Steel mills and plants dissolve in

Interview of Professor Ma

View of Lanzhou between mountains

Thick white smoke coming out of power plant flue

Wide shot of power plant with smoke coming out of power plant flues

 

[Dialogue: Professor Ma (Subtitled)]

In the 1950s, Lanzhou was China’s largest petrochemical base. It was a valley surrounded by mountains. So pollutants, once released, couldn’t escape. This caused massive pollution in Lanzhou.

 

[Title]

PROFESSOR MA JIANMIN

EXPERT COMMITTEE MEMBER

LANZHOU AIR POLLUTION CONTROL

[Video footage]

Wide shot of power plant with smoke coming out of power plant flues

Power plant flues among a polluted sky

Alleyway in Lanzhou

 

[Voiceover:]

Before 2013, Lanzhou was in the top 3 most polluted cities in China.

But the government has made huge inroads in clearing up the skies.

 

[Video footage]

Old woman walking

Interview of Professor Ma

Old lady putting coal into a coal boiler

Natural gas boiler

Shots of traffic on the road

 

[Dialogue: Professor Ma (Subtitled)]

The biggest source of air pollution in China is the burning of coal.

Coal used to be the dominant source of heating in winter. Coal has now been replaced with natural gas. This was the biggest measure taken. Public transport is now mostly powered by gas.

 

[Video footage]

Shots of traffic on the road

Natural gas boiler

Timelapse of building and sky

Old lady at a checkup with doctor

Cheerful baby

 

[Voiceover:]

With a three-year programme focusing on the coal to gas switch, Lanzhou converted over 1900 coal boilers, reducing CO2 emissions and significantly cutting air pollution, which has resulted in a 40% decrease in respiratory related hospital admissions.

 

[Video footage]

Shots of air monitoring panels

Shot of streets with traffic

 

[Voiceover:]

The city also initiated a strict air emission monitoring programme, ensuring low CO2 pollutant emissions in all the residential, commercial and industrial areas.

 

[Video footage]

Interview of Professor Ma

Timelapse of park

Child playing in a park

 

[Dialogue: Professor Ma (Subtitled)]

In 2013, we only had about 100 days, where the air quality met the country’s standards. Today, we have about 300 days each year.

 

[Video footage]

Couple walking in park

People dancing in park

Interview of Yao Weihong

Shot of blue sky

Water mill in the park

People taking a picture

Mother and child in the park

People walking in the park

 

[Dialogue: Yao Weihong (Subtitled)]

In the past, the sky in Lanzhou was grey. Now the sky is blue, it’s called “Lanzhou Blue”.

The people who come here are able to see the beauty of the city and the air is fresh.

 

[Title]

YAO WEIHONG

MANAGING DIRECTOR

GANSU TOURISM HOLDINGS

 

[Video footage]

Shots of roadside stalls

Cable cars

 

[Voiceover:]

This cleaner air has also improved the businesses of local residents, especially in the tourism sector.

 

[Video footage]

People walking in park

Temple monuments

People on a raft in the river

Speedboat on the river

Interview of Tiger Shan

 

[Dialogue: Tiger Shan (Subtitled)]

Tourism is an important pillar for the transformation of our country’s economy.

The tourism industry in Lanzhou is developing much faster than in the rest of the country. It’s growing at about 20% annually.

 

[Title]

TIGER SHAN

PARTNER

PWC STRATEGY&

 

[Video footage]

Mr Yao walking on the pavement

Mr Yao working in office

 

[Voiceover:]

Mr Yao runs a travel agency in Lanzhou, which has been in operation since 1979.

 

[Video footage]

Interview of Yao Weihong

Tourists taking photos

Tourists at Lanzhou bridge taking photos

 

[Dialogue: Yao Weihong (Subtitled)]

Before 2008, we would receive about 600,000 visitors. From 2008 to 2012, we would receive about 1.2 million visitors. This year, we received 2.8 million visitors.

And this has brought the city other forms of income. We used to rely on heavy industry, now we rely on tourism.

 

[Video footage]

Timelapse of tourists at Lanzhou bridge

Happy groups of people

Mother and child walking

Old man painting on the ground

Trees and the river

River

 

[Dialogue: Tiger Shan (Subtitled)]

Clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.

A good environment is of great significance to the development of our economy, and well-being of our people.

 

[Video footage]

Shots of man running along the river

Interview of Wang Lei

Shots of the Yellow river and green trees and clear skies

 

[Dialogue: Wang Lei (Subtitled)]

If the weather is good, I’ll go for a run. After running one or two kilometers, I’ll feel very fulfilled and happy.

In the summer, if it’s a clear day, you’re able to see the Yellow River, the green trees, the blue skies and the white clouds.

 

[Video footage]

Wide shot of the Yellow River and blue skies

 

 

[Voiceover:]

Thanks to “Lanzhou Blue”, the sky is now the limit for tourists and residents alike.

Shot of Wang Lei running

 

[Text displays]

#naturalgas

 [Background music ends]