China Olympics to Lower Oil Use

Plans to improve air quality in Beijing ahead of the city's 2008 Olympic games is set to cut fuel use and lower oil prices, according to Reuters.

Beijing plans to encourage citizens to stay home or to catch a bus or train during the Olympics.

Fuel consumption could be cut by about 3,800t a day, or more than 20% of the city's average 17,000t daily demand, according to an analyst taking to Reuters.

A four-day test in August saw Beijings 1.3 million cars, or about 40% of the total, ordered off the roads.

China is the world's second largest consumer of oil.

By staff writer