The influence of urbanization on atmospheric environmental quality in Guangzhou, China

The urbanization is an inevitable result of the development of human being and progress across the world. With the rapid development of urbanization in China, the ecological environment problems related to the urbanization processes have become more and more serious due to the increasing air pollution emission, which becomes the potential threat to the sustainable development of Guangzhou, China. In order to research the influence of urbanization on atmospheric environmental quality in Guangzhou, a case study was conducted based on statistical data and environmental monitoring data during the period 1995-2008. The temporal distribution of urbanization rate and main atmospheric pollutant during 1995 2008, and their correlations were studied for the recent 14 years. The major factors causing the atmospheric pollution in Guangzhou city and possible countermeasures to improve urban atmospheric environmental quality were also analyzed.