In 2012, PM2.5 was included in the Ambient Air Quality Standards for the first time, marking a pivotal upgrade to China’s air quality monitoring system. Led by Professor Chen Songxi, a research team began tracking shifts in urban air quality across China. The following year, real-time PM2.5 monitoring data was released for 74 key cities, only three of which met the national Grade II standard at that time. The national average annual PM2.5 concentration stood at 72 micrograms per cubic metre, more than double the Grade II limit of 35 micrograms per cubic metre. In March 2015, the team published its maiden air quality assessment report, which has been released annually without interruption ever since.
Over the past decade, China has advanced through key phases including the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution, the Blue Sky Defence Campaign, and the Action Plan for Sustained Improvement of Air Quality, carving out a distinct path for atmospheric governance. Between 2013 and 2025, the average PM2.5 concentration in prefecture-level and above cities nationwide fell by over 60%, severe pollution days dropped by more than 90%, and the share of cities meeting air quality standards rose from less than a quarter to over 70%. Meanwhile, China’s economic aggregate more than doubled, delivering both environmental improvement and economic growth. Through its annual reports, the research team has consistently documented and verified structural changes in air pollution and shifts in governance priorities throughout this period.
2026 marks the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan and the implementation of the revised Ambient Air Quality Standards, propelling atmospheric governance into a more refined, in-depth stage. The team’s newly released 13th report systematically evaluates air quality improvements across 177 cities during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. It conducts in-depth analysis of emerging features such as structural shifts in pollutant emission reduction, diverging trends of fine and coarse particulate matter, extended ozone pollution seasons, and risks of extreme pollution events. Benchmarked against the new national standards, the report assesses room for growth in the proportion of days with good and excellent air quality across regions and puts forward targeted follow-up governance recommendations. All datasets have undergone meteorological adjustment and dust storm signal removal to accurately reflect the actual effects of emission control measures.
