Air quality in China is quite low due to the great atmospheric pollution in the environment. The levels of contamination are much higher than those admitted by the WHO and are harmful to people's health.
The Chinese government will seek to improve air quality by reducing emissions of some of the main atmospheric polluting gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides by 3% this year.
Reduce pollutant emissions
The government work report you have submitted Prime Minister Li Keqiang contemplate a reduction in coal extraction and consumption. In this way, excess electricity generation with this source will be cut and polluting emissions will be reduced.
The minister acknowledged that many areas of China are being affected by air pollution at very high levels and where people's health is at risk. In order to solve these problems, pollutant emissions must be reduced from the source.
Reduce and replace the use of coal
To reduce harmful gas emissions, coal must be reduced and replaced as the main source and alternative energy must be used. For example, replacing the use of coal in more than three million homes with natural gas or electricity, will shut down the coal burning systems that still operate in large cities and will renovate coal-fired power plants to reduce their emissions.
A plan has also been made to modernize thermal power plants and thus reduce emissions. With the objectives set, it is intended to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by 3,4% this year.
China has set out to maintain energy consumption below 5.000 million tons of standard coal per year for the period 2016-2020, which will mean a 15 percent reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP by 2020, according to government estimates.