China's Environmental Progress Amid Economic Recovery Efforts

China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment has reported steady progress in environmental protection efforts despite the challenges posed by ongoing economic recovery initiatives. In 2024, the average concentration of PM2.5 particulate matter—pollutants known for their ability to penetrate deep into lung tissue—was noted to be 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter in 339 major cities, representing a 2.7 percent decrease from the previous year. This level has remained below China's interim national standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter for five continuous years.

The ministry highlighted that the good air quality days, measured using a scale where 0-500 denotes air quality, accounted for 87.2 percent of the year, which is a 1.7 percentage point increase from the year before. This improvement is credited to a variety of initiatives undertaken to ensure clearer skies. Moreover, around 2 million rural households in northern China transitioned away from coal heating methods last year, and around 80 percent of the country’s crude steel production capacity has either undergone significant emission reduction transformations or specific upgrades in critical areas.

In addition to air quality advancements, the ministry announced exceptional improvements in the quality of surface water across China. Last year, it was reported that 90.4 percent of surface water was of fairly good quality, marking a one percentage point rise from 2023 and the first instance where this proportion exceeded 90 percent. The country employs a five-tier quality grading system for surface water, with Grade I being the highest. Urban areas have seen the near elimination of severely polluted black and odorous water bodies, while approximately 80 percent of heavily contaminated water bodies in county-level cities have been treated.

Looking to the future, the ministry has committed to various measures to advance its "Beautiful China" initiative. In 2025, a key focus will be on further enhancing the mechanisms necessary for achieving an ecological civilization. Plans also include fostering technological innovations in environmental protections and improving the national environmental monitoring framework, which involves establishing a comprehensive monitoring network across air, ground, sea, and space.