Air pollution in China worsened this year, for the first time in decades, a study said on Friday (Dec 22). The study conducted by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said that 80 per cent of provincial capitals, including Beijing, saw an increase in Particulate Matter (PM2.

Air pollution in China worsened this year, for the first time in decades, a study said on Friday (Dec 22). The study conducted by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said that 80 per cent of provincial capitals, including Beijing, saw an increase in Particulate Matter (PM2.5) this year. "In 2023, 13 out of China’s 31 provincial capitals have not met the national standard for PM2.5, and 11 provincial capitals have not met the standard for ozone. They are concentrated in the northern key air pollution control regions and central China," the study said. "Nearly half of the capital cities that have not met the PM2.5 standard have improved air quality compared to the previous year, while all cities that are in compliance with the standard have seen increases. This shows efforts are also needed from places where air quality doesn’t exceed the national standards," it added. Year-on-year increase in air pollutants CREA said on Friday that frequent smog episodes that occurred in February and March this year raised China's PM2.5 concentration to the highest point of the year by this March, "that is 46µg/m3, and raised Beijing’s PM2.5 concentration up to 47.8µg/m3, an increase of 30.6% from the same period last year." By the end of November, the 12-month moving average of PM2.5 in Beijing reached 32.6µg/m3, which is a 7.7% increase from last year. What are the reasons for the worsening pollution? As per the study, unfavourable weather conditions promoted PM2.5 pollution in certain places in China. "The overall increase in human-caused emissions has pushed the pollution level higher," the study said. CREA also pointed out that for long, air pollution has been co-related with heavy industrial structures in China. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, PM2.5 particles, on being inhaled, can have serious health risks, linked to premature deaths in people with heart or lung disease, as well as a host of breathing and other health issues. The rebound of air pollution has raised the alarm for the central government. "From the regional perspective, 62% of the provincial capitals in the north will not meet the national standard for PM2.5 this year, with the other 23% falling under the category of the risk of not meeting the standard," the study further said, adding capitals of four neighbouring provinces or municipalities in central China, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hunan and Hubei, will not be able to meet the national standard for PM2.5 as well. (With inputs from agencies)

China’s air pollution worsened in 2023, the first time in 10 years: Study

China's air quality saw "incomparable" improvements in the first quarter of this year as a coronavirus outbreak led to rapid declines in industrial activity and transportation, an environment ministry official said on Friday.

The number of "blue sky days" rose by 6.6 percentage points in the first quarter of 2020, said Liu Bingjiang, head of the air pollution office at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

"That was a level we didn't even dare imagine," he said, noting the target for the whole 2016-2020 period was 3.3 percentage points.

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China has for several months been grappling with a coronavirus outbreak, which has spread around the world and infected more than 4 million people, forcing governments to impose strict lockdowns, severely hurting economic activity.

With millions staying home, concentrations of small lung-damaging floating particles fell by nearly 15% in more than 300 Chinese cities in the first three months of the year, according to official ministry data.

Emissions in the city of Shanghai fell by nearly 20% in the first quarter while Beijing`s average emissions levels stood still in the first three months of the year, the data showed.

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In Wuhan, where the pandemic originated, monthly averages of particulate matter emissions dropped more than a third.

Normally the country`s smoggiest province, Hebei also saw PM2.5 concentrations, a measure of air pollution, fall 15.7% in the first four months of 2020.

The province, however, attributed the drop to its crackdowns on pollution rather than the coronavirus.

New normal 
China has gradually loosened the lockdown since late March in several cities and Liu said the resumption of normal economic activity had not led to a noticeable decline in air quality so far.

He also attributed the improvements in China`s air quality to its strenuous anti-pollution efforts over the last few years.

China declared "war" on pollution in 2014 after a spate of politically damaging outbreaks of smog in Beijing and other regions and has been strict to punish those breaking the rules.

The country normally sets targets over the October-March winter heating period, forcing cities to make improvements in air quality compared to the previous year.

But Liu said the steep declines in emissions brought about by the virus would make it too difficult for cities to make further year-on-year cuts next winter, so China would not make the targets a "decisive element" of compliance over the period.

He said China would continue to eliminate small-scale coal use this year and further promote the replacement of coal by gas or electricity in households throughout northern regions, noting that the policies and financial support were now in place.

China is currently working on a new anti-smog plan that would further target ground-level ozone pollution, a rising health risk caused mainly by vehicle exhaust fumes and sunlight.

It will also extend the "blue sky" campaign to other regions, including Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong and Henan, he said.

China's air quality saw "incomparable" improvements in the first quarter of this year as a coronavirus outbreak led to rapid declines in industrial activity and transportation, an environment ministry official said on Friday.

China's air quality saw "incomparable" improvements in the first quarter of this year as a coronavirus outbreak led to rapid declines in industrial activity and transportation, an environment ministry official said on Friday. The number of "blue sky days" rose by 6.6 percentage points in the first quarter of 2020, said Liu Bingjiang, head of the air pollution office at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. "That was a level we didn't even dare imagine," he said, noting the target for the whole 2016-2020 period was 3.3 percentage points. Also read: India a part of 18-point plan of US to uncover China's lies China has for several months been grappling with a coronavirus outbreak, which has spread around the world and infected more than 4 million people, forcing governments to impose strict lockdowns, severely hurting economic activity. With millions staying home, concentrations of small lung-damaging floating particles fell by nearly 15% in more than 300 Chinese cities in the first three months of the year, according to official ministry data. Emissions in the city of Shanghai fell by nearly 20% in the first quarter while Beijing`s average emissions levels stood still in the first three months of the year, the data showed. Also read: Mike Pompeo accuses China of stealing American research on COVID-19 In Wuhan, where the pandemic originated, monthly averages of particulate matter emissions dropped more than a third. Normally the country`s smoggiest province, Hebei also saw PM2.5 concentrations, a measure of air pollution, fall 15.7% in the first four months of 2020. The province, however, attributed the drop to its crackdowns on pollution rather than the coronavirus. New normal China has gradually loosened the lockdown since late March in several cities and Liu said the resumption of normal economic activity had not led to a noticeable decline in air quality so far. He also attributed the improvements in China`s air quality to its strenuous anti-pollution efforts over the last few years. China declared "war" on pollution in 2014 after a spate of politically damaging outbreaks of smog in Beijing and other regions and has been strict to punish those breaking the rules. The country normally sets targets over the October-March winter heating period, forcing cities to make improvements in air quality compared to the previous year. But Liu said the steep declines in emissions brought about by the virus would make it too difficult for cities to make further year-on-year cuts next winter, so China would not make the targets a "decisive element" of compliance over the period. He said China would continue to eliminate small-scale coal use this year and further promote the replacement of coal by gas or electricity in households throughout northern regions, noting that the policies and financial support were now in place. China is currently working on a new anti-smog plan that would further target ground-level ozone pollution, a rising health risk caused mainly by vehicle exhaust fumes and sunlight. It will also extend the "blue sky" campaign to other regions, including Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong and Henan, he said.

Chinese official hails incomparable improvement in air quality as virus hits industry

A total of 79 Chinese cities have triggered air pollution alerts as severe winter smog covers wide swaths of the country, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

As of November 30, five cities had issued red pollution warnings, the most severe in China's pollution warning system, 73 had issued orange warnings, the second-most severe, and one city had issued a yellow warning, triggering the implementation of emergency management and control measures, Xinhua reported.

The affected cities lie in and around the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region that includes China's capital, as well as in the Fenwei plains area of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan provinces, and in the northern Yangtze River delta region, home to Jiangsu province, China's second-largest steelmaking hub.

China's capital issued its first air pollution alert for the winter season on November 23, and Jiangu province issued orange smog alerts in late November, forcing factories and utilities to slash output.

Northern China often sees heavy smog over the winter, which runs from mid-November to mid-March, as homes and power utilities burn more coal for power and heating.

On Saturday evening, the concentration of small particulate matter, known as PM2.5, at Beijing's Temple of Heaven was 193 micrograms per cubic metre, according to data from China's National Environmental Monitoring Centre, five-and-a-half times the state standard of 35 micrograms per cubic metre.

China has taken steps to broaden its campaign against air pollution, including extending a monthly air quality ranking to 169 cities from 74 to pressure local authorities to clean up dirty skies.

A total of 79 Chinese cities have triggered air pollution alerts as severe winter smog covers wide swaths of the country, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

A total of 79 Chinese cities have triggered air pollution alerts as severe winter smog covers wide swaths of the country, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday. As of November 30, five cities had issued red pollution warnings, the most severe in China's pollution warning system, 73 had issued orange warnings, the second-most severe, and one city had issued a yellow warning, triggering the implementation of emergency management and control measures, Xinhua reported. The affected cities lie in and around the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region that includes China's capital, as well as in the Fenwei plains area of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan provinces, and in the northern Yangtze River delta region, home to Jiangsu province, China's second-largest steelmaking hub. China's capital issued its first air pollution alert for the winter season on November 23, and Jiangu province issued orange smog alerts in late November, forcing factories and utilities to slash output. Northern China often sees heavy smog over the winter, which runs from mid-November to mid-March, as homes and power utilities burn more coal for power and heating. On Saturday evening, the concentration of small particulate matter, known as PM2.5, at Beijing's Temple of Heaven was 193 micrograms per cubic metre, according to data from China's National Environmental Monitoring Centre, five-and-a-half times the state standard of 35 micrograms per cubic metre. China has taken steps to broaden its campaign against air pollution, including extending a monthly air quality ranking to 169 cities from 74 to pressure local authorities to clean up dirty skies.

79 Chinese cities trigger air pollution alerts: Report

China&#39;s smog-prone capital Beijing met its air quality targets last year following a crackdown on polluters and a sustained period of favourable weather, the local environmental agency said in a statement on Wednesday.

The yearly average concentrations of particulate matter with a length of 2.5 microns or less, known as PM2.5 and which damage the lungs when inhaled, dropped by 35.6 percent in 2017 from 2012 to 58 micrograms per cubic metre, the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau said.

The figures were in line with Reuters estimates made last week.

The Chinese capital was ordered to cut PM2.5 concentrations to less than 60 micrograms as part of a 2013 action plan designed to head off public anger about rising pollution.

The city has since closed nearly 2,000 factories in the cement, foundry and furniture-making sectors, shut down coal-fired power plants and eliminated over 2 million high-emission vehicles over the past five years.

Beijing, along with 27 other northern Chinese cities, is part of a government campaign that started in October to ensure the 2017 targets were met.

As the region prepared to switch on residential winter heating systems, it started phasing out coal-fired boilers and switching to gas- or electric-powered equipment. It has also shut or curbed production at heavy industrial plants to limit smog build-ups.

But the city&#39;s environment agency acknowledged that drier and windier weather conditions played a role in meeting air quality targets for the year, especially in the fourth quarter.

The government blamed bad weather for the near-record levels of smog last January and February, which saw PM2.5 readings spike by 26.7 percent in the key Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in the first quarter of 2017.

The province of Hebei, which surrounds Beijing and is a major source of smog drifting over the capital, also saw PM2.5 concentrations decline 7.1 percent from a year ago to 65 micrograms in 2017, the province&#39;s environmental protection bureau said on Tuesday.

But the region is still some distance away from meeting its official PM2.5 standard of 35 micrograms. The World Health Organization recommends levels of no more than 10 micrograms.

&quot;Current air pollutant levels remain a lot higher than the national air quality standard, indicating the improvement in air quality will still be a long-term process,&quot; Beijing&#39;s environment agency said.

The yearly average concentrations of particulate matter with a length of 2.5 microns or less, known as PM2.5 and which damage the lungs when inhaled, dropped by 35.6 percent in 2017

China's smog-prone capital Beijing met its air quality targets last year following a crackdown on polluters and a sustained period of favourable weather, the local environmental agency said in a statement on Wednesday. The yearly average concentrations of particulate matter with a length of 2.5 microns or less, known as PM2.5 and which damage the lungs when inhaled, dropped by 35.6 percent in 2017 from 2012 to 58 micrograms per cubic metre, the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau said. The figures were in line with Reuters estimates made last week. The Chinese capital was ordered to cut PM2.5 concentrations to less than 60 micrograms as part of a 2013 action plan designed to head off public anger about rising pollution. The city has since closed nearly 2,000 factories in the cement, foundry and furniture-making sectors, shut down coal-fired power plants and eliminated over 2 million high-emission vehicles over the past five years. Beijing, along with 27 other northern Chinese cities, is part of a government campaign that started in October to ensure the 2017 targets were met. As the region prepared to switch on residential winter heating systems, it started phasing out coal-fired boilers and switching to gas- or electric-powered equipment. It has also shut or curbed production at heavy industrial plants to limit smog build-ups. But the city's environment agency acknowledged that drier and windier weather conditions played a role in meeting air quality targets for the year, especially in the fourth quarter. The government blamed bad weather for the near-record levels of smog last January and February, which saw PM2.5 readings spike by 26.7 percent in the key Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in the first quarter of 2017. The province of Hebei, which surrounds Beijing and is a major source of smog drifting over the capital, also saw PM2.5 concentrations decline 7.1 percent from a year ago to 65 micrograms in 2017, the province's environmental protection bureau said on Tuesday. But the region is still some distance away from meeting its official PM2.5 standard of 35 micrograms. The World Health Organization recommends levels of no more than 10 micrograms. "Current air pollutant levels remain a lot higher than the national air quality standard, indicating the improvement in air quality will still be a long-term process," Beijing's environment agency said.

China meets 2017 air pollution target