China issues action plan for improving air quality

China's State Council, the country’s cabinet, issued an action plan on Thursday for the continuous improvement of air quality. Under the plan, China should boost the development of new energy and clean energy, while strictly and reasonably controlling coal consumption and prohibiting new steel capacity.

By 2025, it is expected that electricity should account for around 30 percent of total energy end-use consumption, and non-fossil energy consumption should reach around 20 percent, according to the action plan. It was released following the conclusion of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai last week, during which China’s role in global climate governance was highlighted.

The country will also carry out caps on coal consumption while ensuring energy supply security, according to the plan.

It is expected that by 2025, coal consumption in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and neighboring areas as well as the Yangtze River Delta should drop by 10 percent and 5 percent compared with that of 2020, respectively. And the coal consumption in Fenwei Plain regions in Central China should report negative growth.

In addition to a ban on building new steel factories, Chinese authorities will also resolutely curb the blind launch of high-energy-consuming, high-emission, and low-level projects under the plan.

By 2025, the plan also aims to reduce PM 2.5 concentrations in Chinese cities at and above the prefectural level by 10 percent from 2020, and the annual ratio of days with heavy pollution and above should be within 1 percent. Emissions of nitric oxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) should also be reduced by 10 percent from 2020.

The plan marks another effort by China to fulfill its promise of carbon peaking and neutrality. China has committed to a “dual carbon” goal of reaching the peak of carbon emissions by 2030 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2060.

China's actions to address climate change have not only promoted the country's green and low-carbon development, but also made important contributions to addressing global climate change, analysts said.