By Chengcheng Qiu
As 2025 begins, northern China continues to face air quality challenges. On March 22, a new round of sandstorms swept across Beijing, Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces, and the Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui autonomous regions, causing a sharp rise in PM 10 concentrations and affecting daily life. This phenomenon is primarily driven by higher-than-average temperatures and reduced precipitation in Mongolia and northern China, with cold air activity further exacerbating the transportation of dust. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned in its Airborne Dust Bulletin that climate change may turn parts of Asia into new dust storm hotspots. In the Gobi Desert and Central Asia, warming-induced snowpack reduction and stronger surface winds could lead to an increase in both the frequency and intensity of March dust storms.
Northern China experienced multiple rounds of sandstorms in the spring of 2023 as well. Meteorologists from the China Meteorological Center previously noted that rising spring temperatures in dusty regions, caused by climate change, led to loosened soil, increasing the likelihood of sandstorms. This highlights that climate change not only affects global temperatures but may also exacerbate regional air pollution. Given the shared origins of climate change and air pollution — both largely driven by fossil fuel combustion — an integrated approach to tackling both issues is crucial. Reducing fossil fuel emissions could improve air quality while also mitigating the long-term impacts of climate change.
In 2024, the annual average PM 2.5 concentration decreased by 2.7% year-on-year, reaching the 2025 target of a 10% reduction from 2020 levels ahead of schedule. However, in late February, Shanghai experienced heavy smog, with many residents sharing hazy cityscapes on social media, expressing concerns about air quality. Meanwhile, some have pointed out that China’s current air quality standard — an annual PM 2.5 concentration limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter—is only stricter than those of India and Egypt and remains far above the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended level of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. As public health concerns and regulatory challenges continue to grow, discussions have intensified over whether air quality standards should be further tightened.
At the Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s (MEE) routine press conference in February, Li Tianwei, director-general of the Department of Atmospheric Environment, announced that revisions to the Ambient Air Quality Standards are underway. He emphasized that the new standards will play a key role in improving environmental quality and protecting public health. Moving forward, control measures for PM 2.5 and other key pollutants are expected to be further strengthened, advancing air pollution management to a higher level. Stricter air quality standards will not only enhance public health but also drive energy transition efforts, creating synergies with climate action and paving the way for a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Why strengthen air quality standards?
In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) updated its Global Air Quality Guidelines, significantly tightening pollutant limits. The recommended annual average for PM 2.5 was reduced from 10 micrograms per cubic meter to 5 micrograms per cubic meter, highlighting that even low-level exposure poses substantial health risks. Following this, major economies such as the U.S. and the European Union revised their air quality standards to strengthen pollution control. Currently, China’s annual PM 2.5 standard is lower than India’s, which is 40 micrograms per cubic meter, and Egypt’s, which is 50 micrograms per cubic meter. Still, it is significantly above the standards in Europe and the U.S. and the latest WHO guidelines.
The WHO recognizes air pollution as one of the most severe health crises of the 21st century. PM 2.5 particles can penetrate lung barriers and enter the bloodstream, increasing the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases as well as cancer. Studies indicate that for every 10 micrograms per cubic meter increase in annual PM 2.5 concentration, the all-cause mortality rate rises by 8%. Although China’s air quality has steadily improved over the past decade, and nearly three-quarters of its cities meet the national secondary standard, the current limits are losing their effectiveness in driving further reductions in already compliant cities. This reality underscores the urgent need to strengthen air quality standards.
Stricter PM 2.5 standards not only help reduce the incidence of chronic and acute diseases, lowering medical expenses and improving public health, but also boost productivity and sustainable development capacity. Furthermore, since the primary sources of air pollution overlap significantly with carbon emissions, enhanced pollution control will accelerate the transition to clean energy and expedite China’s achievement of its “dual carbon” goals (peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060). This indicates that future air quality improvements are not only a matter of public health but also an integral part of national environmental and climate governance.
Currently, China is accelerating the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, with the MEE leading the development of the Action Plan for Continuous Air Quality Improvement (2026-2030). Strengthening PM 2.5 standards is seen as a pivotal step in upgrading air pollution prevention and control, laying the groundwork for further air quality improvements during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
A sandstorm hits Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia in March 2024. Photo: Xinhua
Achievements and challenges
In 2024, the national average annual PM 2.5 concentration in China was 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter, a 2.7% decrease from the previous year and an 11.2% reduction compared with 2020. If this trend continues through the end of 2025, China is expected to meet the “10% reduction from 2020 levels” target outlined in the Action Plan for Continuous Air Quality Improvement. Currently, nearly 40% of Chinese cities report PM 2.5 levels below the WHO’s second-stage interim target (25 micrograms per cubic meter), with most of these cities located in western and southern areas such as Yunnan, Guangdong and Fujian provinces, as well as the Xizang autonomous region. However, without further strengthening of air quality standards, the improvements achieved in these cities may not be fully recognized, and their exemplary role in leading pollution reduction efforts could weaken.
Notably, some regions that have already met national air quality standards are experiencing setbacks. The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, which first achieved compliance in 2020, has seen rising PM 2.5 levels in recent years. Between 2022 and 2024, the region’s annual average PM 2.5 concentration increased by 1 microgram per cubic meter each year, diverging from the national downward trend. Policy adjustments are considered a key factor behind this reversal. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the YRD no longer implemented the autumn-winter air pollution action plan and was assigned a relatively lenient goal of “maintaining overall PM 2.5 compliance” in the Action Plan for Continuous Air Quality Improvement. The relaxation of regulatory pressure has led to a decline in local governments’ motivation to pursue aggressive pollution control, resulting in stagnation or even a rebound in air pollution. Public concerns about air quality have surged, as demonstrated by the widespread discussions on pollution in Shanghai in 2024.
At the same time, approximately one-quarter of Chinese cities still fail to meet PM 2.5 standards, primarily in northern industrial hubs such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region and the Fenwei Plain. For example, to achieve the “20% reduction from 2020 levels” target by 2025, the BTH region must lower its PM 2.5 concentration by an additional 3% or more relative to 2024. This challenge underscores the need for pollution control policies tailored to regional economic structures and emissions characteristics. Implementing targeted strategies in key regions will be essential to ensure coordinated progress in pollution reduction and economic development.
As the Action Plan for Continuous Air Quality Improvement advances, air pollution control will enter a more refined and region-specific phase. Balancing environmental governance with economic development, while maintaining policy momentum and incentives, will be critical to the next stage of China’s air pollution management.
Expected impact of stricter standards
Stricter air quality standards will yield significant health and economic benefits. Lower PM 2.5 concentrations can effectively reduce the incidence of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, improve public health, decrease medical expenditures, and enhance overall quality of life. Long-term exposure to elevated PM 2.5 levels increases the risk of both chronic and acute diseases; therefore, more rigorous standards will provide stronger protection for public health.
Air pollution control also drives industrial upgrading, promotes the green economy, and enhances national competitiveness. As air quality standards become more stringent, high-pollution and energy-intensive industries will accelerate their transition toward low-carbon, cleaner technologies, fostering sustainable economic growth. According to a 2024 study conducted by Peking University in collaboration with several research institutions, if China reduces its annual average PM 2.5 concentration to 25 micrograms per cubic meter, 10 micrograms per cubic meter, and 5 micrograms per cubic meter, the number of premature deaths avoided annually would reach 300,000, 870,000, and 1.184 million, respectively. The associated health benefits are estimated at 1.07 trillion yuan, 3.1 trillion yuan, and 4.2 trillion yuan, accounting for approximately 1%, 3%, and 4% of China’s 2020 GDP.
Chengdu’s successful air pollution control experience offers valuable insights for other cities. In 2024, Chengdu achieved a remarkable 18% reduction from the previous year in PM 2.5 concentrations, meeting the national standard for the first time and ranking among the top five cities with the most significant improvements. Chengdu prioritized controlling emissions from mobile sources by accelerating the electrification of public-sector vehicles, strengthening regulations on fuel-powered vehicles, and promoting new-energy heavy-duty commercial vehicles. The city also implemented strict industrial pollution controls, supporting ultra-low emission upgrades in the cement, petrochemical and steel sectors. In the construction sector, Chengdu established over 1,300 “green benchmark” sites to minimize dust emissions. These comprehensive measures significantly improved air quality and provide a practical model for other urban areas to follow.
In the future, air pollution control efforts should focus on optimizing industrial structures, controlling transportation emissions, and strengthening regulatory oversight in key regions. This includes reducing reliance on coal, accelerating the adoption of renewable energy, expanding the use of electric vehicles, optimizing urban public transportation, and reinforcing pollution control in critical areas such as the Yangtze River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Strengthening governance and policy coordination
Strengthening air quality standards is a crucial step in upgrading China’s air pollution control and provides valuable insights for global environmental governance. Although China’s air quality has significantly improved over the past decade, the current standards are insufficient to drive further progress. Moving toward the WHO’s second interim target of 25 micrograms per cubic meter would mark a significant step in protecting public health. Moreover, the health benefits of cleaner air far outweigh the direct costs of achieving world-leading air quality standards. International experience suggests that stricter standards are essential to mitigate health risks and improve environmental quality. Through policy optimization, industrial transformation, and regional coordination, China is well-positioned to achieve further air quality improvements and advance toward a more sustainable future.
Chengcheng Qiu is a China policy analyst at the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Find the original article here on Caixin Global.