BEIJING: Through a decade of commitment, China has forged ahead in ecological and environmental conservation by transforming firm actions into fruitful achievements.
During a Thursday press conference summarizing the country’s ecological progress, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu said that the past 10 years witnessed the country’s toughest measures and most extraordinary progress regarding ecology and the environment, with great strides made in the construction of a “beautiful China.”
Thanks to China’s persistent efforts to combat all types of pollution, crystal-clear waters and azure skies are becoming more commonplace all across the country.
Air quality has improved notably, with the average concentration of PM2.5 hazardous airborne particles decreasing from 46 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015 to 30 micrograms per cubic meter last year, Huang said.
Days with good air quality accounted for 87.5 percent of 2021, up 6.3 percentage points from 2015 and making China the nation with the greatest air-quality improvement worldwide, according to the minister.
Over the past decade, the proportion of water at or above Grade III in the country’s five-tier water quality system increased 23.3 percentage points to 84.9 percent, nearing the levels of developed countries.
Black and odorous water bodies have been generally eliminated in urban areas, and the safety of drinking water is under effective protection, Huang added.
Behind these stellar figures was a hard-fought battle, during which the country tailored regional and industry-specific solutions to pollution.
Devoted to a green shift in energy consumption, China transformed over 27 million rural households in its northern regions from coal energy to clean heating in the past 10 years. This transformation helped save more than 60 million tonnes of bulk coal. –Agencies
