Olympics Committee Sends Beijing Message

The Olympics is a year away - I'm assuming this is intended to be a shot across the bow. Beijing, clean this mess up or else:

Certain events in the 2008 Beijing Olympics may have to be rescheduled because of the city's air pollution problems, according to Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Rogge's remarks, made during an interview with US TV network CNN, coincided with celebrations in China to mark the final year countdown to the games, the Financial Times reported. Rogge indicated that endurance events such as cycling "might be postponed or delayed to another day," although the IOC later said it was confident the appropriate measures are being taken to curb pollution. Olympic representatives from Australia have already said the country's athletes will only arrive in Beijing a few days before their events due to environmental concerns. A partial car ban and the temporary closure of factories is expected to be imposed in Beijing during the Olympics.

I can't imagine that postponing certain events would make much difference. Postpone them until when? I was in Beijing last weekend, and the air quality is still disasterous.

Construction companies are scrambling to complete enough construction on sites to meet the deadlines imposed by the government (essentially there will be a ban on open pits which cause the most airborne pollution). Given the amount of construction in Beijing, there is no way that all construction will cease.