Beijing sets historic records for air quality in 2024

Beijing achieved remarkable improvements in air quality last year, setting two historic records with the highest number of days with good air quality and the lowest number of days with heavy pollution since data was first collected in 2013, according to a news conference held by the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau on Thursday.

"The annual average concentration of PM 2.5 in Beijing in 2024 was 30.5 micrograms per cubic meter, a 6.2 percent decrease from the previous year," said Shen Xiu'e, director of the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center.

In 2024, Beijing experienced only two days of heavy pollution, the lowest number on record, a significant reduction from 58 days in 2013, marking a 96.6 percent decrease.

Beijing enjoyed 290 days of good air quality throughout the year, which accounts for 79.2 percent of the year.

Xie Jinkai, director of the bureau's atmospheric environment department, highlighted that in 2024, Beijing implemented innovative measures to improve air quality.

These measures included promoting new energy vehicles, upgrading enterprise emission standards, and advocating for fully enclosed construction practices. These efforts have significantly improved the city's air quality.