Africa News 24 Pretoria Bureau
BEIJING, China — China has unveiled an ambitious plan to virtually eliminate severe air pollution by 2025, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s environmental agenda outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Li Tianwei, an official with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, announced the initiative on Monday, noting the government’s dedication to enhancing air quality nationwide.
To achieve this objective, China will intensify air pollution control and emission reduction efforts, refine air quality forecasting and early warning systems, and bolster the coordinated management of PM2.5 and ozone pollutants. These measures aim to address the complex challenges of air pollution, which have profound implications for public health and environmental sustainability.
In 2024, China’s air quality saw notable improvements. The average concentration of PM2.5 fine particulate matter hazardous to human health in cities at or above the prefecture level was 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter, reflecting a 2.7% year-on-year decrease. Additionally, the proportion of days with good air quality reached 87.2%, a 1.7 percentage point increase from the previous year. These advancements underscore the effectiveness of China’s ongoing environmental policies.
“The blue sky is not given; it is earned,” Li remarked, highlighting the concerted efforts required to combat air pollution.
In China, mobile sources like vehicles and machinery are responsible for a substantial portion of air pollutant emissions, contributing around 60% of the nation’s nitrogen oxides and 24% of its volatile organic compounds.To mitigate this, China plans to expedite the development and revision of relevant emission standards, aligning them with global best practices. The country also aims to increase the adoption of new energy vehicles and machinery in airports, ports, and logistics parks and accelerate the shift of long-haul bulk cargo transportation from road to rail and waterways.
Over the past decade, China has made substantial progress in improving air quality. Between 2013 and 2022, particulate pollution declined by 41%, with a 3.4% reduction from 2021 to 2022 alone. These improvements have led to an increase in average life expectancy by approximately two years, provided the reductions are maintained. Beijing, in particular, experienced a 54.1% decrease in pollution during this period, reflecting the city’s robust pollution control measures.
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Despite these gains, challenges persist. In the first half of 2024, while fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels decreased by 2.9% compared to the same period the previous year, ozone pollution saw a year-on-year increase. This rise is largely attributed to the expanding chemicals and non-ferrous metal industries, which are major sources of ozone precursors such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
China’s commitment to eradicating severe air pollution by 2025 reflects a comprehensive approach, balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability. The successful implementation of these measures is poised to yield significant benefits for public health and the environment, contributing to a cleaner and healthier future for the nation.
