(File Photo: VCG)

The annual average air pollution concentration in Beijing in 2019 hit the lowest level since 2013, according to a report released by the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) on Friday morning.

Liu Baoxian, director of the Beijing environmental monitoring center, said that in 2019, the city’s four major pollutants, including PM2.5, were significantly improved year on year. The annual average concentration of PM2.5 was 42 micrograms per cubic meter. Throughout the whole year of 2019, the number of excellent days in Beijing was 240 days, accounting for 65.8 percent, comprising of 85 first-class excellent days and 155 second-class good days. In 2019, there were 4 days of heavy pollution and the primary pollution was PM2.5. There were no serious pollution days throughout the year.

In addition, in terms of fine particles, the number of first-class excellent days increased significantly to 187, accounting for more than 50 percent of the year for the first time. This is 2.6 times better than in 2013. In terms of coarse particles, by the end of November last year, the accumulated dust fall was 6.0 tons per square kilometer per month, down 22.1 percent compared with the same period last year.

Xing Jia, an associate professor at the School of Environment of Tsinghua University, said that it is estimated that in the improvement of Beijing’s air quality in 2019, meteorological conditions, that is, help from nature, contributed to 20 to 30 percent of the improvement, and the remaining 70 percent improvement was mainly due to efforts by local and surrounding areas.

(Compiled by Chai Ruxin)