A mother and her daughter protect themselves from the heavy smog in Shenyang, Liaoning province, on Sunday. CHANG SHENGGANG / FOR CHINA DAILY

Is China well prepared for the rapid expansion of an increasing number of big cities such as national and provincial capitals? The severe smog shrouding most major cities in Northeast China is an indicator that more needs to be done to improve the air quality if China is to provide its urban residents with a comfortable and healthy living environment.

In Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, the PM2.5 reading was above 1,000 on Monday, and the air pollution caused a rapid rise in the number of people seeing doctors because of respiratory problems. The burning of coal for heating is no doubt the main culprit, as Sunday marked the beginning of winter according to the Chinese lunar calendar. However, both the central and local authorities failed to pay enough attention to air quality until recently.

Had enough efforts been made to replace fossil fuels with clean energy or to develop the technology to effectively control the emissions of pollutants in recent years, the situation would not be so serious now.

Of course, it's no use crying over spilt milk. But, it is urgent that local governments do a better job of controlling air pollution and mitigating the effects of the smog. They can, for instance, restrict the number of motor vehicles on the roads, issue timely warnings, and raise residents' awareness of how to protect themselves.

However, in the long run, efforts must be made to promote the use of clean energy and upgrade technology to reduce harmful emissions.

Thus, it is imperative that local governments place the development of clean energy at the top of their agendas. No matter how difficult it may be, we cannot afford to wait without doing anything, as that will damage China's continuing urbanization and put more people's lives at risk.