IBM said Monday it had signed a deal to help reduce pollution in China, beginning with the dangerous smog that afflicts Beijing. The U.S. computing giant said it would launch a 10-year program to "support China in transforming its national energy systems and protecting the health of citizens." IBM said one of the first partners in the project was the Beijing municipal government. "The collaboration will leverage some of IBM's most advanced technologies such as cognitive computing [and] optical sensors ..., drawing on IBM's deep experience in weather prediction and climate modelling," the company said. IBM will seek to identify the type, source, and level of emissions in Beijing. By having access to real-time data about the city's air quality, authorities will be able to take steps to either reduce pollution or alert citizens more efficiently. The IBM effort also seeks to more accurately predict China's energy needs to help the country draw more from renewable sources and reduce carbon emissions. Chinese officials said last week the number of overseas tourists visiting China's capital fell by 10 percent last year compared to 2012, with air pollution blamed for the decline.
