Air pollution levels in China have risen for the first time in 10 years, according to a recent study
The air quality in China deteriorated this year for the first time since the country launched its “war on pollution” campaign in 2013.
This study, released by the Energy and Clean Air Research Center, an independent institute, reveals that “2023 marks the first year that the national average of (fine particulate matter) PM2.5 in China has increased from year to year since that date.”
This increase is attributed to a “general rise in human-made emissions” along with “unfavorable weather conditions,” as confirmed by this organization based in Finland.
The year 2023 saw the lifting of strict restrictions imposed by China after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a sharp slowdown in economic activity.
The country launched the “war on pollution” campaign in 2013, closing dozens of coal-fired power plants and relocating heavy industry units to combat the smog that chokes most of its major cities, especially in winter.
This campaign has so far led to a continuous decrease in recorded PM2.5 levels in the air but without consistently meeting the standards set by the World Health Organization.
According to the World Health Organization, prolonged exposure to excessive levels of PM2.5 can lead to strokes, heart diseases, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases.
