China has made considerable progress in controlling pollution and environmental protection over the past five years.
The average concentration of hazardous airborne particles PM 2.5, a measure which gages air quality, has consistently decreased annually since 2015. Tests carried out in 337 cities showed that the percentage of days with good air quality was 82% in 2019, and rose to 87.2% in the first nine months of this year. In addition, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of Gross Domestic Product fell by 18.2% from 2015 to the end of last year. The Chinese government recently pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
The country’s proportion of forest coverage reached 23% in 2019, contributing to an increase in tourism to forest areas.
In 2019, Shanghai piloted a mandatory recycling scheme which has since been rolled out throughout the country.
The central government has invested more than 10 billion RMB (approximately $1.5 billion) into technologies to protect the environment.
Chinese consumers are also showing a growing concern about environmental issues, as shown by the rise of plant-based meat alternatives and platforms offering second-hand clothes.
