Over the last decade, China has been trying to tackle worsening air quality from urbanization and industrialization. In 2024, the average concentration of ozone was around *** micrograms per cubic meter in *** cities in China. Environmental degradation Becoming the global manufacturing hub of goods brought not only rapid economic development to China, but also deteriorating air quality in cities across the country. Among other types of environmental issues, air pollution was the most concerning issue for almost half of Chinese survey respondents. Since 2001, carbon dioxide emissions in China have tripled to over ** gigatons in 2023, with emissions increasing quickly again after dipping in 2016. Environmental protection The Chinese government saw environmental degradation primarily as a public health issue for Chinese citizens, and therefore started contributing more and more resources to protecting the environment. In 2024, public expenditure on energy conservation and environmental protection in China had amounted to nearly *** billion yuan, almost double the amount of ten years ago. Citizens have also begun to change their habits due to climate change. For example, around half of Chinese citizens have changed their commuting and water use habits to help fight climate change.

According to the monitoring data from the Embassy of the United States, there was on average 39 micrograms of PM2.5 particles per cubic meter to be found in the air in Beijing during 2023. The air quality has improved considerably since 2013.

Reasons for air pollution in Beijing

China’s capital city Beijing is one of the most populous cities in China with over 20 million inhabitants. Over the past 20 years, Beijing’s GDP has increased tenfold. With the significant growth of vehicles and energy consumption in the country, Beijing’s air quality is under great pressure from the economic development. In the past, the city had a high level of coal consumption. Especially in winter, in which coal consumption increased due to heating, the air quality could get extremely bad on the days without wind. In spring, the wind from the north would bring sand from Mongolian deserts, resulting in severe sandstorms in Beijing. The bad air quality also affected the air visibility and threatened people’s health. On days with very bad air quality, people wearing masks for protection can be seen on the streets in the city.

Methods to improve air quality in Beijing

Over the past years, the government has implemented various methods to improve the air quality in Northern China. Sandstorms, which were quite common 15 years ago, are now rarely seen in Beijing’s spring thanks to afforestation projects on China’s northern borders. The license-plate lottery system was introduced in Beijing to restrict the growth of private vehicles. Large trucks were not allowed to enter certain areas in Beijing. Above all, the coal consumption in Beijing has been restricted by shutting down industrial sites and improving heating systems. Beijing’s efforts to improve air quality has also been highly praised by the UN as a successful model for other cities. However, there is also criticism pointing out that the improvement of Beijing’s air quality is based on the sacrifice of surrounding provinces (including Hebei), as many factories were moved from Beijing to other regions. Besides air pollution, there are other environmental problems like water pollution that China is facing. The industrial transformation is the key to China’s environmental improvement.

China has a vast territory

The mean annual concentration level of PM2.5 particles in China dropped moderately in recent years. It amounted to **** micrograms per cubic meter in 2019. To target the air pollution problems caused by rapid industrialization and high energy consumption, the Chinese government released strict action plans with specific PM2.5 reduction targets for different economic regions. Coal consumption was cut down in China according to the new measures.

Air pollution is one of China's most serious environmental issues, seriously affecting human health and well-being. However, the detection of PM2.5 began in most Chinese cities after 2013, and data in some cities are missing. First, we collected global ground-observed PM2.5 concentration data calibrated using geographically weighted regression at Washington University in St. Louis and data from air quality monitoring stations in China. Using the zonal statistics tool in ArcGIS software, the annual average PM2.5 concentration datasets of 342 administrative units (prefecture-level cities and regions) in China from 2000 to 2024 were calculated. This dataset could support some research on air pollution control and urban environmental regulation in China, and can also provide references for the assessment of local government's environmental performance.

China Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: per 100,000 Population data was reported at 112.700 Ratio in 2016. China Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: per 100,000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 112.700 Ratio from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. China Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: per 100,000 Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.World Bank: Health Statistics. Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution is the number of deaths attributable to the joint effects of household and ambient air pollution in a year per 100,000 population. The rates are age-standardized. Following diseases are taken into account: acute respiratory infections (estimated for all ages); cerebrovascular diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); ischaemic heart diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults (estimated above 25 years); and lung cancer in adults (estimated above 25 years).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

China Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: Age-standardized: Male data was reported at 126.000 NA in 2016. China Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: Age-standardized: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 126.000 NA from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. China Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: Age-standardized: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution is the number of deaths attributable to the joint effects of household and ambient air pollution in a year per 100,000 population. The rates are age-standardized. Following diseases are taken into account: acute respiratory infections (estimated for all ages); cerebrovascular diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); ischaemic heart diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults (estimated above 25 years); and lung cancer in adults (estimated above 25 years).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

In 2023, the average concentration of PM 2.5 was around 32 micrograms per cubic meter in Beijing, China. The air quality of China has been gradually improving after years of effort put into anti-air pollution measures.

Hong Kong SAR (China) Air Pollution: Tax Revenue: USD data was reported at 7.204 USD mn in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13.020 USD mn for 2020. Hong Kong SAR (China) Air Pollution: Tax Revenue: USD data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 USD mn from Dec 1994 (Median) to 2021, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 367.545 USD mn in 2018 and a record low of 0.000 USD mn in 2009. Hong Kong SAR (China) Air Pollution: Tax Revenue: USD data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong SAR (China) – Table HK.OECD.ESG: Environmental: Environmentally Related Tax Revenue: Environmental Protection Domains: Non OECD Member: Annual.

China Pollution: Direct Economic Loss data was reported at 433.544 RMB mn in 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 181.856 RMB mn for 2008. China Pollution: Direct Economic Loss data is updated yearly, averaging 113.937 RMB mn from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2009, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 433.544 RMB mn in 2009 and a record low of 30.165 RMB mn in 2007. China Pollution: Direct Economic Loss data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Ecology and Environment. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Environmental Protection – Table CN.EPA: Environmental Pollution Loss.

China Pollution: Completed Investment of Industrial Pollution Treatment: Solid Waste data was reported at 1,184.049 RMB mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 602.752 RMB mn for 2022. China Pollution: Completed Investment of Industrial Pollution Treatment: Solid Waste data is updated yearly, averaging 1,558.957 RMB mn from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,890.000 RMB mn in 2016 and a record low of 366.109 RMB mn in 2021. China Pollution: Completed Investment of Industrial Pollution Treatment: Solid Waste data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Ecology and Environment. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Environmental Protection – Table CN.EPA: Investment of Environmental Pollution Treatment.

Based on the First National Pollution Source Census Report, we identify seven major water polluting industries and calculates the increase in output value of water polluting enterprises in each county year by year from 2004-2010. The explanatory variables in this paper are whether the counties are provincial boundaries and along rivers.

We examine day-to-day fluctuations in worker-level output at two manufacturing sites in China. Ambient fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution is severe but significantly variable, largely due to exogenous atmospheric ventilation. We obtain an insignificant immediate output response from concurrent (same-shift) variation in particle pollution. We then allow worker outcomes to respond to day-to-day variation in pollution with up to 30 days of delay. We uncover statistically significant adverse output effects from more prolonged exposure, but effects are not large. A substantial +10 μg/m3 PM2.5 variation sustained over 25 days reduces daily output by 1%.

ChinaHighPM_2.5 is part of a series of long-term, seamless, high-resolution, and high-quality datasets of air pollutants for China (i.e., ChinaHighAirPollutants, CHAP). It is generated from big data sources (e.g., ground-based measurements, satellite remote sensing products, atmospheric reanalysis, and model simulations) using artificial intelligence, taking into account the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of air pollution.

Here is the big data-derived seamless (spatial coverage = 100%) daily, monthly, and yearly 1 km (i.e., D1K, M1K, and Y1K) ground-level PM_2.5 dataset for China from 2000 to the present. This dataset exhibits high quality, with a cross-validation coefficient of determination (CV-R²) of 0.92, a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 10.76 µg m^-3, and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 6.32 µg m^-3 on a daily basis.

If you use the ChinaHighPM_2.5 dataset in your scientific research, please cite the following references (Wei et al., RSE, 2021; Wei et al., ACP, 2020):

• Wei, J., Li, Z., Lyapustin, A., Sun, L., Peng, Y., Xue, W., Su, T., and Cribb, M. Reconstructing 1-km-resolution high-quality PM_2.5 data records from 2000 to 2018 in China: spatiotemporal variations and policy implications. Remote Sensing of Environment, 2021, 252, 112136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2020.112136

• Wei, J., Li, Z., Cribb, M., Huang, W., Xue, W., Sun, L., Guo, J., Peng, Y., Li, J., Lyapustin, A., Liu, L., Wu, H., and Song, Y. Improved 1 km resolution PM_2.5 estimates across China using enhanced space-time extremely randomized trees. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2020, 20(6), 3273–3289. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-3273-2020

The data is continuously updated, and

all (including daily) data for the year 2022 is accessible at: ChinaHighPM2.5 (2022)

all (including daily) data for the year 2023 is accessible at: ChinaHighPM2.5 (2023)

all (including daily) data for the year 2024 is accessible at: ChinaHighPM2.5 (2024)

more data is coming soon...

More CHAP datasets for different air pollutants are available at: https://weijing-rs.github.io/product.html

ChinaHighPM₁₀ is one of the series of long-term, full-coverage, high-resolution, and high-quality datasets of ground-level air pollutants for China (i.e., ChinaHighAirPollutants, CHAP). It is generated from the big data (e.g., ground-based measurements, satellite remote sensing products, atmospheric reanalysis, and model simulations) using artificial intelligence by considering the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of air pollution.

This is the big data-derived seamless (spatial coverage = 100%) daily, monthly, and yearly 10 km (i.e., D10K, M10K, and Y10K) ground-level ground-level PM₁₀ products in China from 2013 to 2020. This dataset yields a high quality with a cross-validation coefficient of determination (CV-R²) of 0.86 and a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 24.34 µg m^-3 on a daily basis.

Note that this dataset is closed access since a longer-term, high-resolution (1 km), and higher quality ChinaHighPM₁₀ dataset is available at: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3752465

More CHAP datasets of different air pollutants can be found at: https://weijing-rs.github.io/product.html

ChinaHighNO₂ is one of the series of long-term, full-coverage, high-resolution, and high-quality datasets of ground-level air pollutants for China (i.e., ChinaHighAirPollutants, CHAP). It is generated from the big data (e.g., ground-based measurements, satellite remote sensing products, atmospheric reanalysis, and model simulations) using artificial intelligence by considering the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of air pollution.

This is the big data-derived seamless (spatial coverage = 100%) daily, monthly, and yearly 10 km (i.e., D10K, M10K, and Y10K) ground-level NO₂ dataset in China from 2013 to 2020. This dataset yields a high quality with a cross-validation coefficient of determination (CV-R²) of 0.84 and a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 7.99 µg m^-3 on a daily basis.

This old version was closed now since a new version has been published.

More CHAP datasets of different air pollutants can be found at: https://weijing-rs.github.io/product.html

Forecast: Exposure to PM2.5 Air Pollution in China 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

China has recently made available hourly air pollution data from over 1500 sites, including airborne particulate matter (PM), SO2, NO2, and O3. We apply Kriging interpolation to four months of data to derive pollution maps for eastern China. Consistent with prior findings, the greatest pollution occurs in the east, but significant levels are widespread across northern and central China and are not limited to major cities or geologic basins. Sources of pollution are widespread, but are particularly intense in a northeast corridor that extends from near Shanghai to north of Beijing. During our analysis period, 92% of the population of China experienced >120 hours of unhealthy air (US EPA standard), and 38% experienced average concentrations that were unhealthy. China’s population-weighted average exposure to PM2.5 was 52 μg/m3. The observed air pollution is calculated to contribute to 1.6 million deaths/year in China [0.7–2.2 million deaths/year at 95% confidence], roughly 17% of all deaths in China.

Data and Code from Sustained emission reductions have restrained the ozone pollution over China

China Pollution: Investment of Pollution Treatment: Industrial Pollution data was reported at 36,242.393 RMB mn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 28,570.769 RMB mn for 2022. China Pollution: Investment of Pollution Treatment: Industrial Pollution data is updated yearly, averaging 37,970.038 RMB mn from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99,765.109 RMB mn in 2014 and a record low of 4,544.650 RMB mn in 1990. China Pollution: Investment of Pollution Treatment: Industrial Pollution data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Ecology and Environment. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Environmental Protection – Table CN.EPA: Investment of Environmental Pollution Treatment.