Despite early warnings and much negative press, Beijing had little success improving air quality before the commencement of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Some of the major concerns over the pollution revolve around air quality not being up to World Health Organization standards and large amounts of particulate matter present in the smog.
Even with Beijing's 'Guard the Blue Sky' campaign that launched in December 2007 and various last-ditch efforts, skies in Beijing, China remain gray prior to and throughout the Games.
Flip through our ongoing gallery of Sky Watch photos as the 2008 Olympic Games progress to see how bleak or blue the sky in Beijing really is.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 3, 2008A blue sky on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 6, 2008A smoggy Beijing skyline.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 7, 2008Bare land netted beneath a gray Beijing sky.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 7, 2008Imperial dragon boats float on gray water beneath gray skies.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 8, 2008Beijing's National Stadium amidst smog.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 9, 2008Cyclists race outside the National Stadium on a smoggy day.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 10, 2008Heavy smog covers the heart of Beijing.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 11, 2008Qingdao, China city buildings on a cloudy day.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 12, 2008Gray skies behind a shooter's silhouette.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 13, 2008The National Stadium in Beijing, China on a smoggy day.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 14, 2008Spectators wearing ponchos leave the National Stadium.
- 2008 Beijing Olympics - August 15, 2008A sky view from the National Stadium in Beijing, China.
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