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AirSeverity: Moderate

Beijing's air pollution control

Severe winter smog prompted sustained national and regional action, and fine particulate levels have fallen substantially since 2013.

Beijing · China

01 · The problem

What is happening

In the early 2010s Beijing experienced extreme winter smog episodes driven by coal heating, industry, traffic and regional pollution across the North China Plain. China's 2013 Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan and subsequent measures targeted coal use, industrial emissions and vehicles across Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. The UN Environment Programme's 2019 review of two decades of air pollution control in Beijing documented significant reductions in fine particulate concentrations. Levels remain above the World Health Organization's health-based guideline, and regional coordination remains essential.

Moderate severity. Material effects on people or ecosystems; actively managed. Severity is descriptive editorial metadata summarising documented effects. It is not a measured index or a score.

02 · Causes

Why it is happening

  1. 01

    Coal combustion for heating and industry

    Coal boilers and household coal stoves were major winter emission sources.

  2. 02

    Regional industrial emissions

    Heavy industry in surrounding provinces contributed pollution transported into the city.

  3. 03

    Vehicle emissions

    A rapidly growing vehicle fleet emitted particulates and ozone precursors.

  4. 04

    Winter meteorology

    Stagnant air and inversions trap pollutants over the North China Plain.

03 · Impacts

Who and what it affects

  1. 01

    Public health burden

    Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter is linked to heart and lung disease and premature death.

  2. 02

    Disruption and emergency measures

    Red alerts triggered school closures, traffic restrictions and factory shutdowns.

  3. 03

    Ozone remains a concern

    As particulate levels fell, summertime ground-level ozone became a growing focus.

04 · Solutions

Documented approaches

  1. Coal-to-gas and coal-to-electricity conversion

    Replacing coal boilers and household stoves with gas and electric heating.

    Expected effectLarge reductions in winter particulate and sulphur dioxide emissions.

  2. Regional joint control

    Coordinated standards and enforcement across Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei.

    Expected effectAddresses the regional share of pollution that local action alone cannot reach.

  3. Vehicle standards and electrification

    Stricter emissions standards, licence plate controls and support for electric vehicles and public transport.

    Expected effectReduces transport-related emissions over time.

  4. Industrial relocation and upgrading

    Closing or relocating heavy polluting facilities and upgrading emission controls.

    Expected effectCuts a major source category; may shift some impacts elsewhere.

Explore an illustrative What-If

05 · Key indicators

What can be measured

Policy milestone
Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan2013

National action plan that set targets for particulate reductions in key regions including Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei.

WHO annual PM2.5 guideline
5µg/m³2021

Beijing's annual concentrations have declined substantially but remain above this guideline; consult official monitoring for current values.

06 · Sources

Where this comes from

  1. [1]A Review of 20 Years' Air Pollution Control in Beijing (publisher site)UN Environment Programme · Mar 2019unep.org(opens in a new tab)
  2. [2]Ministry of Ecology and EnvironmentPeople's Republic of Chinaenglish.mee.gov.cn(opens in a new tab)
  3. [3]WHO global air quality guidelinesWorld Health Organization · Sept 2021who.int(opens in a new tab)

Links open the publishing organisation's site. Some point to the publisher's main page, where the named report or dataset can be found.

Also in Beijing

Air elsewhere