China can weather challenges to meet air pollution target: official
- As the economy fires up, emissions are on the rise but the country is on track to deliver ambitious air quality improvements by 2025
- Environment ministry official says the biggest challenge will be the uncertainties caused by changing weather patterns
Liu Bingjiang, head of the ministry’s atmospheric environment department, said on Tuesday that China’s heavy air pollution days had dropped significantly compared to 2013.
But the results were not stable and could still be affected by meteorological conditions, he said at a press conference which coincided with several rounds of pollution days in Beijing and its neighbouring cities.
Despite the challenges, Liu said “we are confident” the government’s target to contain the share of heavily polluted days to less than 1 per cent of the 365 days in a year by 2025 would be achieved.
Authorities would intensify their efforts to reduce emissions to help meet the target, Liu said.
Heavily polluted days in China are defined as periods with an air quality index level over 200, which is considered “very unhealthy” or “hazardous”.