Improved Air and Water Quality Despite Economic Challenges

China's Environmental Progress in 2024

Despite facing challenges in balancing environmental protection with economic recovery, China has made significant progress in environmental protection over the past year. This was highlighted by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in a statement following their annual work conference.

One of the key achievements was the improvement in air quality. The average density of PM2.5 particulate matter in the country's 339 major cities was 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter, down 2.7 percent year-on-year. This means the concentration of these harmful pollutants has remained below China's interim national standard for five consecutive years. Additionally, the proportion of days with "fairly good" air quality reached 87.2 percent, a 1.7 percentage point increase from the previous year.

These improvements can be attributed to a series of initiatives implemented by the Ministry. Notably, roughly 2 million rural households in northern China switched from coal to cleaner heating sources, and 80% of the nation's crude steel production capacity underwent upgrades to reduce emissions.

Water quality also saw significant improvements. About 90.4 percent of surface water nationwide was reported to be of fairly good quality, exceeding 90% for the first time. Additionally, black and odorous water bodies have been essentially eradicated in urban areas, and 80% of heavily polluted water bodies in county seats have been treated.

Looking ahead, the Ministry has pledged to continue its efforts to achieve a "Beautiful China." Priorities for 2025 include deepening reforms to promote an ecological civilization, spearheading technological innovation in environmental protection, and bolstering the nation's environmental monitoring system.