Beijing achieved local air quality targets for the first time in 2021

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China’s capital, Beijing, met local air quality targets for the first time last year, Chinese officials said on Tuesday (4), in a milestone praised by experts, who also warned that pollution is nearing standards. seven times higher than recommended by WHO.

China declared war on pollution in 2014 after a series of dangerous accumulations of pollutants in Beijing and elsewhere sparked widespread public dissatisfaction and led to concerted efforts to cut coal consumption, reduce transport emissions, rethink heavy industry and combating violations of legislation.

“The improvements are real and are happening across the industrial belt around Beijing as well as much of the rest of the country,” says Lauri Myllyvirta, chief analyst at the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air. He warns, however, that pollution remains high enough to “constitute a permanent risk to the health of the population”.

The annual average of airborne fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, was 33 micrograms per cubic meter, nearly seven times the World Health Organization recommended level of 5 micrograms.

That amount, however, dropped 13% compared to the previous year and for the first time met the standard set by the government, which was 35 micrograms.

Yu Jianhua, one of the heads of Beijing’s environmental protection department, described the city’s efforts over the past decade and the speed of improvements as “unprecedented.” Beijing residents were able to enjoy nearly four more months of clear skies last year than compared to 2013, he said.

The city had promised in 2015 that it would take advantage of the 2022 Winter Olympics to help drive environmental improvements. The leader of the Chinese regime, Chinese President Xi Jinping, has promised to host “Green Olympics”.

In 2016, PM2.5 particulate matter readings averaged 71 micrograms, with peaks of nearly 500 micrograms during the winter months when coal-based heating systems were turned on across the region.

Beijing and neighboring Hebei Province have since made efforts to change the system to cleaner natural gas. In addition, reforestation in the region was also accelerated. Governments have also imposed strict new fuel standards for cars and forced steelmakers and other industrial facilities to install equipment to control emissions.

“Further improvements will require a shift from coal and oil to clean energy,” says Myllyvirta.

In September, Xi had already devoted most of his speech at the UN General Assembly to climate change, when he said the country would no longer fund projects around the world that use coal-based energy. He also reaffirmed the commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 and proposed the creation of a forum with global goals for development, to accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 agenda, which sets goals that countries must achieve to achieve sustainable development.

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