{"id":9195,"date":"2020-01-23T11:27:22","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T03:27:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smartairfilters.com\/?p=9195"},"modified":"2021-05-20T20:02:48","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T12:02:48","slug":"did-chinas-air-quality-improve-in-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smartairfilters.com\/en\/blog\/did-chinas-air-quality-improve-in-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Did China\u2019s Air Quality Improve in 2019?"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a big improvement in 2018<\/a>, new data shows China’s war on air pollution<\/a>\u00a0is slowing down. A Smart Air analysis of 2019 PM2.5 data for China’s 15 largest cities found that more than half saw worse air quality over 2018.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Maps comparing average PM2.5 in December 2018 to December 2019 show a general increase in PM2.5 across the country, especially in southern China.<\/p>\n

\"PM2.5Source: www.aqistudy.cn<\/p>\n

These Cities Saw Cleaner Air<\/h2>\n

Beijing<\/h3>\n

Beijing\u2019s PM2.5 have dropped by 10.7% in 2019, reaching half of what it was back in 2014.<\/p>\n

\"Beijing<\/h2>\n

Beijing’s improvement suggests that the 2013-2017 Clean Air Action Plan<\/a> has had an effect. However, the improvement seems to go even farther back, since data stretching back to 1998<\/a> shows improvement even in the decade before the action plan.<\/p>\n

However, Beijing’s progress is slowing down. Beijing cut 16 micrograms in 2017, 10 micrograms in 2018, and just 5 micrograms in 2019. This could be a sign that the easiest fixes have already been made and that the remaining fixes may be harder to execute.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Guangzhou<\/h3>\n

Guangzhou saw an 8.8% decrease in 2019.<\/p>\n

\"Guangzhou<\/p>\n

One of China\u2019s most important automobile manufacturing hubs, Guangzhou has moved to make cars on its streets greener<\/a>. By 2020, the city plans to replace all gasoline-fueled buses with pure electric buses and encourage more electric vehicles by lowering purchase and maintenance prices, as well as increase charging stations.<\/p>\n

These Cities Saw Worse Air<\/h2>\n

Xi\u2019an<\/h3>\n

Despite recent efforts<\/a>, Xi’an PM2.5 was up 9.7% in 2019.<\/p>\n

\"Xi\u2019an<\/p>\n

One potential reason is insufficient gas supply infrastructure, making Xi’an still heavily reliant on coal<\/a>. However, there is hope: if Xi’an achieves its goal to go coal-free by 2020<\/a>, its PM2.5 should come down.<\/p>\n

In addition, Shenyang, Tianjin, Chongqing, and Harbin all saw worse air in 2019.<\/p>\n

\"Chinese<\/p>\n

All Major Chinese Cities Above WHO Limit<\/h2>\n

Despite the range of improvement and worsening air, all cities have this in common\u2014they are all above the WHO annual limit<\/a>. Even the cleanest city, Shenzhen, averages more than double the limit.<\/p>\n

\"Major<\/p>\n

This fact carries consequences for people’s health, since studies show that PM2.5 raises blood pressure<\/a>, inflammation<\/a>, and rates of heart attacks and strokes<\/a>. This is true even at low levels around 10 micrograms<\/a>.<\/p>\n

WATCH: The Harmful Health Effects of PM2.5<\/h3>\n
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5 Things You Should Know about PM2.5 Air Pollution<\/div><\/div>
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