Recently, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment publicly solicited opinions on three national ecological environment standards, including the "Draft Environmental Air Quality Standards (for Comments)" (revised GB 3095-2012) and its supporting technical specifications. This standard revision mainly tightened the concentration limits for particulate matter, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and other pollutants. This means that China is expected to usher in stricter environmental air quality standards to further leverage the leading role of standards in improving air quality and better safeguard public health.
Why revise the environmental air quality standards?
The person in charge of the Atmospheric Environment Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment introduced that since the implementation of the current standards, China's environmental air quality has significantly improved. From 2015 to 2024, the annual average concentration of PM2.5 in China has decreased by 36%, the number of heavily polluted days has decreased by 68%, and the number of cities with PM2.5 annual average concentration standards has reached 252, making China one of the countries with the fastest improvement rate in global air quality.
The person in charge stated that the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has made "significant progress in building a beautiful China" as one of the main goals for economic and social development during the 15th Five Year Plan period. With the continuous improvement of air quality, it is necessary to revise the standards in order to further enhance the people's sense of blue sky acquisition and happiness.
One is to further ensure the physical health of the people. According to the latest research results from the World Health Organization (WHO), PM2.5 remains the most significant atmospheric pollutant that affects human health. Research in our country also shows that both long-term and short-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution have adverse effects on human health. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen concentration limits to better protect public health.
The second is to support the timely achievement of the goal of building a beautiful China. The construction of a Beautiful China requires that the national average concentration of PM2.5 be reduced to below 25 micrograms per cubic meter by 2035. However, currently, nearly half (124) of the cities that meet the standards still have an annual average concentration of PM2.5 higher than 25 micrograms per cubic meter, which is still far from the goal of building a Beautiful China. It is necessary to revise the standards to further play its leading and guiding role in improving air quality.
The third is to gradually align with the international advanced level of air quality standards. In recent years, multiple countries and regions such as the United States, the European Union, and South Korea have revised their environmental air quality standards and tightened the annual average concentration limits for PM2.5. Compared to this, the second level limit for annual average PM2.5 concentration in China is still relatively loose.
It is necessary to revise the standards, further play their leading and guiding role, better safeguard public health, and continuously meet the growing needs of the people for a better life, "said the person in charge.
What are the main contents involved in this revision?
It is reported that taking into account factors such as domestic and international atmospheric environment benchmark research results, the goal of building a beautiful China, and the stage of China's economic and social development, this standard revision mainly tightens the concentration limits of particulate matter and major precursors such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.
This revision focuses on public health, with a particular emphasis on PM2.5 pollution, which has the greatest impact on health. Tighten the second level limits for annual and daily concentrations of PM2.5 to 25 micrograms per cubic meter and 50 micrograms per cubic meter, respectively; Tighten the daily average concentration limit of PM2.5 to 25 micrograms per cubic meter. At the same time, the secondary limits for annual and daily concentrations of inhalable particulate matter (PM10) will be tightened to 50 micrograms per cubic meter and 100 micrograms per cubic meter.
This revision also considers the impact of gaseous precursors such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide on human health and their contribution to PM2.5 generation, and tightens their concentration limits. Do not revise the concentration limits for ozone and carbon monoxide.
The person in charge introduced that this revision also fully summarizes past practical experience and draws on international practices to optimize and adjust the methods of air quality information release and evaluation. Refined the sensitive groups of different air pollutants and guided the public to take targeted prevention and protection measures during polluted weather. In terms of air quality evaluation and assessment, we have drawn on international practices and introduced methods such as exceptional events to objectively evaluate the impact of natural factors, especially special natural events, further enhancing the scientificity of the evaluation results.
How to implement the revised standards?
The revised environmental air quality standards will be implemented in two stages——
The first stage is from 2026 to 2030, implementing transitional limits for particulate matter concentration: the second level limits for PM2.5 annual and daily average concentrations are 30 micrograms/cubic meter and 60 micrograms/cubic meter, respectively, and the second level limits for PM10 annual and daily average concentrations are 60 micrograms/cubic meter and 120 micrograms/cubic meter, respectively. The concentration of other pollutants remains at the current limit.
Starting from 2031, the revised concentration limits for pollutants such as particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide will be fully implemented in the second phase.
The person in charge stated that setting transitional limits during the 15th Five Year Plan period can continue to play a leading role in standards before full implementation; At the same time, it can provide a preparation period for the steady and orderly implementation of new standards in various regions, reduce the short-term pressure of standard revisions on economic and social development, and achieve a smooth transition.
The reporter noticed that after the revision of the standards, the air quality evaluation results of some cities and regions will change from before the revision, such as from meeting the standards to not meeting the standards, and the proportion of excellent days will decrease.
The person in charge explained that this does not mean that the air quality in these cities and regions has deteriorated, but rather reflects the determination to further improve air quality and ensure the health of the people under higher standards.
He stated that the Ministry of Ecology and Environment will accelerate the revision of standards, and use this as a guide to guide various regions in planning air quality improvement paths, promote continuous improvement of air quality, continuously enhance people's sense of blue sky acquisition and happiness, and better serve the high-quality development of the economy and society.