China's War On Air Pollution: A Success Story

China's air pollution reached some of its highest levels in 2013, prompting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to declare a war against pollution the following year. Since then, China has been actively working to improve its air quality, with Beijing leading the way. The country's efforts have resulted in a 40% decline in harmful air particulates from 2013 to 2020, surpassing the progress made by the US and Europe in addressing pollution over several decades. China's success is attributed to various measures, including restrictions on car use and coal burning in major cities, the promotion of electric vehicles, and the development of new and clean energy sources. However, the battle against air pollution in China is ongoing, and cities like Beijing still face air quality challenges, with pollution levels higher than their international counterparts.

China's Clean Air Campaign

In 2013, Beijing had some of the worst air quality in the world. The city's dramatic economic growth, industrialisation, and urbanisation had led to a deterioration in air quality. As the number of cars on the road soared to the one million mark, headlines around the world discussed the city's impenetrable smog.

In 2014, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang declared a "war against pollution", allocating substantial public resources to combat pollution. China's strict policy action led to a swift reduction in pollution. From 2013 to 2020, particulate pollution in China declined by 39.6 percent, adding about two years to the average life expectancy. Beijing experienced the largest decline, with concentrations falling from 85 to 38 μg/m3 in just seven years—a 55 percent decline—adding 4.6 years to lives, if sustained.

China's extensive efforts to improve air quality have included restrictions on car use and coal burning in major cities, promoting the use of electric vehicles, increasing natural gas production, and developing new and clean energy. In Beijing, since 2013, carbon emission intensity has been reduced by more than 50%, PM emissions by 64%, SO2 emissions by 89%NO2 emissions by 54%.

Despite China's progress, the battle against pollution is not over. Beijing is still three times more polluted than Los Angeles, and its progress has come with significant costs. For example, the government left many households without heat during the winter after removing coal boilers before natural gas or electric replacements could be installed. As China enters the next phase of its "war against pollution", there is an opportunity to place more emphasis on market-based approaches to reduce pollution sustainably and at a lower cost.

Beijing's 2020 Action Plan

Beijing's air pollution has been a concern for decades, with the city's air quality deteriorating due to rapid economic growth, urbanisation, and industrialisation. The situation became so severe that in 1998, a roadside vendor in downtown Beijing described the air as so bad that "you can't even see tall buildings a few streets from here".

The 2020 Action Plan for Beijing aimed to continue the city's 20-year journey of battling air pollution, with the goal of reducing the number of heavy pollution days by 25% from 2015 levels. The plan included a range of measures to tackle the issue:

• Encouraging citizens to switch to cleaner modes of transport by making it easier to obtain a license plate for electric cars and requiring old, polluting cars to be scrapped.
• Increasing the frequency of inspections for vehicles still on the road and tightening standards on emissions from diesel trucks.
• Controlling the flow of truck traffic through the city by ordering lorries to use beltways to bypass heavily populated areas.

These measures built upon previous efforts to improve Beijing's air quality, including fitting scrubbers to coal power plants and tightening rules governing vehicle exhausts, which led to a significant drop in sulphate emissions.

The impact of China's clean air campaigns has been significant, with a 40% decline in harmful air particulates from 2013 to 2020, nearly equalling a 44% drop in US pollution over 30 years. This progress has contributed to lowering average global smog levels and is estimated to have added about two years to the average life expectancy in China.

Reducing coal consumption

China's efforts to reduce air pollution have inadvertently contributed to a surge in global warming, accounting for 80% of the increased rate since 2010. This is largely due to the removal of cooling aerosols from the atmosphere, which has led to a more pronounced warming effect. Despite this, the clean-up was deemed necessary as previous research suggested that the measures would help avoid 150,000 premature deaths per year.

China's rapid industrialisation in the early 2000s led to a public outcry in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with international headlines about the city's impenetrable smog. In response, Chinese authorities implemented measures to curb emissions, including fitting scrubbers to coal power plants and tightening vehicle exhaust rules, resulting in a 75% drop in sulphate emissions.

As part of its Clean Air Campaign, China has also restricted coal burning in major cities. While coal stoves are becoming less common in urban areas, with many households switching to gas, coal use in rural China appears to be increasing. This is due to coal being used as a substitute for biomass, with national and international agencies promoting the use of "clean coal" to reduce the consumption of petroleum-based fuels.

To further reduce coal consumption and its associated emissions, China could gradually phase out coal use. Studies have shown that this would lead to a significant decrease in the concentrations of various air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and 2.5-μm Particulate Matter (PM2.5). Additionally, the use of air pollution control devices (APCDs) in coal-fired power plants can help reduce contaminants from flue gas and particulate emissions.

Overall, China's efforts to reduce coal consumption and improve air quality have had a significant impact on global smog levels, with a 40% decline in harmful particulates in the air from 2013 to 2020. This progress is especially notable given that China's success in seven years nearly equalled the US's progress in 30 years after passing the Clean Air Act.

Encouraging electric vehicles

China's efforts to clean up its air pollution have inadvertently contributed to a surge in global warming, accounting for 80% of the increased rate since 2010. The country's extensive measures to improve air quality have significantly lowered global smog levels, with a 40% decline in harmful air particulates from 2013 to 2020. Led by its capital, Beijing, China's 20-year journey to combat air pollution has impacted various sectors of its economy and the lives of its residents.

Beijing, known for its poor air quality, has implemented stringent measures to tackle this issue. The city's 2020 Action Plan aimed to reduce heavy pollution days by 25% from 2015 levels. Beijing has also promoted the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) as a green transportation alternative. The central government has actively publicized EVs, provided infrastructure support, and incentivized buyers. This has resulted in a rapid uptake of EVs in Beijing, contributing to significant reductions in air pollution, fuel consumption, and urban heat.

To encourage the use of electric vehicles, the Chinese government has implemented several policies and incentives. These include offering substantial personal subsidies for passenger EVs, as seen in Shanghai's efforts to accelerate electrification. The government has also focused on technological innovation and capacity building, ensuring that EVs are easily accessible to its citizens.

While the widespread adoption of electric vehicles can reduce air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, the optimal vehicle type and specific benefits in certain cities require further study. For example, light-duty electric vehicles may result in lesser air quality improvements and fewer premature deaths avoided than heavy-duty electric vehicles. However, they offer nearly double the economic benefits due to reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

Overall, China's promotion of electric vehicles as a key component of its clean air campaign has been successful in reducing air pollution and encouraging economic and social development. The country has also established itself as a global leader in EV manufacturing and green innovation.

The impact on global warming

China's air pollution problem has been well-documented, with the country previously deemed the ""Kingdom of the Bicycle"" witnessing a shift towards cars as individual wealth increased, contributing to a deterioration in air quality. Led by Beijing, China has embarked on a 20-year journey to combat air pollution, significantly impacting its residents' lives.

China's efforts to tackle air pollution have had a significant impact on global warming. While the country's actions have not caused additional warming, they have revealed the full extent of greenhouse gas-driven warming previously masked by artificial cooling from pollution. This unmasking effect is estimated to contribute to around 5% of the total global temperature increase since 1850, translating to about 0.07°C (0.13°F) of warming.

China's success in reducing air pollution has inadvertently driven a surge in global warming rates. From the mid-2000s to 2010, China cut sulphur dioxide emissions by approximately 20 million tonnes per year, and a 75% drop in sulphate emissions was achieved by fitting scrubbers to coal power plants. These measures, along with tightening vehicle exhaust rules, played a crucial role in improving air quality. However, the removal of cooling aerosols from the atmosphere has resulted in an extra 0.05°C (0.09°F) of warming per decade since 2010.

The impact of China's actions on global warming extends beyond its borders. According to Samset, China's aerosol emissions are transported over the Pacific, spreading over a vast area. This has influenced the climate, particularly in remote regions, where changes in cloud cover can have a significant impact on cooling effects. Additionally, the reduction in China's air pollution has helped lower average global smog levels. The amount of harmful particulates in the air in China decreased by 40% from 2013 to 2020, adding about two years to the average life expectancy of its citizens.

While China's actions to improve air quality have had unintended consequences for global warming, the benefits to public health cannot be overlooked. Previous research suggests that the measures implemented by China have helped prevent approximately 150,000 premature deaths annually. The country's experience serves as a valuable lesson for other nations and regions aiming to address air pollution and improve air quality.

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