Posted on 11 Dec 2023
China's State Council published an action plan on December 7 to improve the country's air quality, as part of its efforts to pursue a high-quality economic development, according to the release on its website.
According to the plan, by 2025, PM2.5 density in Chinese cities at prefecture level and above should be reduced by 10% compared to the level in 2020, and the days with heavy air pollution should be kept within 1% each year. Meanwhile, the emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds should be cut by over 10% respectively from those in 2020.
As for key areas, PM2.5 density in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding areas should be lowered by 20% by 2025 compared to 2020 levels and the density of the hazardous airborne particles in Beijing should be within 32 micrograms per cubic meter by 2025, a 15% percent reduction is required for the Fenwei Plain, a major energy and heavy-industry base in northern China, and PM2.5 density in the Yangtze River Delta region should generally conform to the standards.
The plan states that it will resolutely curb the blind launch of projects with high energy consumption and high emission, and it stresses the ban of new steel production capacities across the country. In addition, the removal of outdated capacities in the key industries including steel, coking and electrolytic aluminum should be accelerated. As for the old-for-new capacity swap projects, new capacity can be put into operation when the old capacity and relevant facilities have been shut down.
China will continue to encourage the development of electric-arc-furnace (EAF) steelmaking to reduce carbon emissions. EAF-route steel production is targeted to account for 15% of the country's total steel output by 2025, the plan said.
The country will also promote high-quality transformation of ultra-low emissions in key industries such as steel, cement, and coking as well as coal-fired boilers. By 2025, more than 80% steel capacity in China should meet the ultra-low emission targets, and all steel capacity in the key areas should achieve ultra-low emissions, according to the plan.
The plan underlined a major push to new and clean energy as well, citing that non-fossil energy use will account for about 20% of the country's total energy consumption by 2025. The production and supply of natural gas will be increased continuously, giving priority to ensuring the needs of people's livelihoods and clean heating.
In parallel, clean transport is expected to be one key indicator in the approval of new and expansion projects in sectors like coal mining, steel, thermal power, nonferrous metals, coke, and coal chemical.
By 2025, the uses of rail and water transport in commodities freight are expected to increase by 10% and 12% respectively from 2020, and it aims to lift the proportion of iron ore and coke transport via clean means including new energy vehicles in key areas and major coastal ports to 80%, the plan showed.
At the same time, Beijing will ramp up efforts to strengthen supervision and law enforcement, enhance legal frameworks, environmental and economic policies, and broaden international cooperation on atmospheric environment management, according to the plan.
Source:Mysteel Global
