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They continued their policy of switching from coal power to gas and worked with neighbours to set emissions standards for coal-fired power stations and heavy industries like steel and cement.Ĭoal-burning industries were financially rewarded for reducing emissions. In response to the criticism, the Beijing authorities cracked down emissions from coal. “That discrepancy, even more than the data and the numbers, showed that the Chinese government playing this down and not taking it seriously,” he added. It used the US Environmental Protection agency label which classified as “hazardous” concentrations the Chinese government labelled as “moderately polluted”, Myllyvirta said. US direct diplomacy played a role, with the embassy installing air pollution monitors and regularly tweeting the PM2.5 pollution levels to raise awareness. He added that the pressure on the government was greater because Beijing’s middle and upper class, including the decision-makers themselves, were affected.Ī girl and her mother wear respirator masks and hold a banner reading “No PM2.5”. It was really the main topic of conversation.” It was the golden period of Chinese social media expression and it was just everywhere. Lauri Myllyvirta, director of the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air said: “There was an outpouring of public concern and anger. While Beijing has been attempting to reduce air pollution since before the 2008 Olympics, the issue shot up the political agenda in the winter of 2012/2013 when the PM2.5 level spiked to 993 micrograms/m3.Īt the time there were media reports of children playing sport in domes, international companies handing out masks to foreign employees and elite golfers wearing masks at a televised competition in Beijing. Greenpeace East Asia’s political adviser Li Shuo told Climate Home News: “Back in 2013, the current progress is what we thought could only be possible around 2030.” Extraordinary progress that was almost unimaginable 10 years ago. Incredible: Beijing gov’t has announced that the city met China’s air quality targets for all 6 key pollutants in 2021.
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He tweeted: “Incredible… Extraordinary progress that was almost unimaginable 10 years ago.” While a huge improvement, the average pollution level is still more than double the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 15 micrograms.ĭavid Vance Wagner was the US climate envoy’s China lead under president Barack Obama. The official figures are in line with those recorded from the US embassy in Beijing and progress reported by the UN Environment Programme. This followed measures to curb coal smoke from heavy industry and home heating.īetween 20, they claimed to have reduced the weight of dangerous particles (PM2.5) in the air by 63% to 33 micrograms. The city authorities declared on Tuesday they had fully met all their air quality targets for the first time in 2021 – almost a decade earlier than experts expected. Nine years after toxic smog in China’s capital sparked widespread protest, climate advocates are hailing “extraordinary progress” in Beijing’s fight against air pollution.