Ministry of Environment's Chief Engineer Discusses Future Prospects for Improving Air Quality (AI Translation)

【周刊提前读】大气治理十年攻坚 环境部总工谈未来持续改善空间

The issue of fine particulate matter, PM2.5, leaped into the public eye and sparked nationwide discussions, marking the beginning of a journey from establishing monitoring networks to promoting systematic governance. Improving air quality has become one of the most called-for public welfare projects over the past decade. Since 2013, the Chinese government has tackled air pollution with unprecedented determination, focusing on controlling PM2.5 levels. The State Council has successively issued and implemented three national-level air pollution control action plans. On November 30, 2023, the State Council issued the "Action Plan for Continuous Improvement of Air Quality" (2023—2025), which is referred to as the third "Ten Measures for Air" following the "Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan" (2013—2017) and the "Three-Year Action Plan to Win the Blue Sky Defense War" (2018—2020).

Over the past decade, key cities in China have seen their average PM2.5 concentrations decrease by 54.4%, making it the country with the fastest improvement in air quality. The average concentration of PM2.5 in Beijing dropped from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, and the number of days with severe pollution decreased from 58 to just three days. This transformation has been hailed as the "Beijing Miracle" by the United Nations Environment Programme. Liu Bingjiang, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Chief Engineer at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and Director General of the Department of Atmospheric Environment, stated that China's successful experience in atmospheric management can be summarized as focusing on structural adjustments in industry, energy, and transportation; seizing four major opportunities; and advancing five key management approaches: reducing coal use, eliminating outdated capacity, controlling vehicle emissions, treating pollution, and suppressing dust.

So, a decade after the commencement of air quality management efforts, how much room is there for continued improvement in air quality? The "Action Plan for Continuous Improvement of Air Quality" proposes that by 2025, the concentration of PM2.5 in cities at the prefectural level and above will decrease by 10% compared to 2020, and the proportion of days with severe pollution will be controlled within 1%. Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are expected to decrease by more than 10% compared to 2020. In the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding areas, as well as the Fenwei Plain, PM2.5 concentrations are expected to decrease by 20% and 15%, respectively. The Yangtze River Delta region is expected to meet overall PM2.5 standards, with Beijing aiming to control levels within 32 micrograms per cubic meter. However, an undeniable reality is that since the beginning of the "14th Five-Year Plan," national coal consumption has increased by approximately 680 million tons, exceeding the plan's total increase by thirteen times—presenting simultaneous challenges in controlling increases and managing existing issues. How can we achieve new air quality improvement targets? How will China's "Dual Carbon" goals (peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060) align with efforts to control air pollution? During this year's National Two Sessions, Liu Bingjiang was interviewed exclusively by Caixin.