Beijing's air quality has improved significantly since 2015

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The average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Beijing fell to 38 micrograms per cubic meter in 2020, hitting a record low since data collection began. As a result, the city saw 90 additional good air quality days than in 2015, according to the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau at a press briefing on Monday.

Official statistics show that the city's average concentration of PM2.5 in 2020 dropped by 42.6 micrograms per cubic meter compared to readings in 2015, which ranks Beijing's air quality the best among the 28 cities that make up the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The metropolis has thus exceeded the air pollution control targets set for the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2015-2020). 

Last year, Beijing had 276 days with good air quality, up by 90 days from 2015. The frequency, peak concentration, and duration of heavy air pollution have also all decreased significantly since 2015.

In addition to PM2.5, three other main air pollutants have also been kept under control. For example, the annual average concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in Beijing fell to four micrograms per cubic meter, maintaining single digits for four consecutive years.

Beijing's progress on air pollution control has thus been recognized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which says that Beijing's successful efforts have provided a model for other cities to follow, referring to the enormous investment of time, resources, and political will behind the success.

A series of new measures to tackle pollution were rolled out by the city in 2015. This included the demolition of coal-fired boilers, the optimization of the city's energy structure, and the phasing out of high-emission vehicles.

Additionally, the fraction of high-quality energy use in the city's total energy consumption increased from 86.3% in 2015 to 98.1% in 2020. Research also shows that in the past two decades, the reduction of coal in the city's energy mix has contributed to SO2 emission reductions by 84% and 54% to the direct emission reductions of PM2.5. 

Beijing has built four thermoelectric centers over the past five years, using clean energy for its electricity generation. The city's coal consumption has been drastically reduced from 11.65 million tons in 2015 to 1.73 million tons in 2020, and the share of coal in Beijing's energy mix has dropped from 13.7% to 1.9%.

In the meantime, the city has also been working to develop more urban green spaces since 2015. This includes 3,600 hectares of newly-added grassland, 190 parks, as well as 450 vest-pocket parks. A total of 11,000 hectares of wetlands have been restored and the water in the Miyun Reservoir has achieved its highest storage capacity in 21 years.

In regards to emission reductions, Beijing has been facilitating public transportation with high-tech means. The total transportation energy consumption has been restricted to under 3.14 million metric tons of the standard coal equivalent. Meanwhile, the unit energy consumption and pollutant emissions have been reduced by 5% and 30%, respectively, since the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2010-2015).

Since the launch of Beijing's low-carbon travel campaign in September of 2020, a total of 5.755 million green trips have been made, saving nearly 18,700 tons of carbon emissions.

Looking ahead for the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the city's environmental regulator has vowed to make coordinated efforts to control PM2.5, ozone, greenhouse gas, and air pollutant emissions throughout China, as well as continue to reduce air pollution in Beijing and nearby regions.

Beijing also plans to further facilitate the green and high-quality development of its industrial sector. It will continue to optimize its industrial structure and help high-tech enterprises to develop on a green, intelligent, and digitalized path.

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