Beijing to embrace better ecological environment by 2025

BEIJING, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Beijing will basically see no heavy pollution days by 2025, with other environmental quality indicators to be steadily improved, said an ecological environment protection plan released on Wednesday.

The capital will strive to keep the average PM2.5 concentration within 35 micrograms per cubic meter by 2025, according to the Ecological and Environmental Protection Plan for Beijing (2021-2025).

The plan emphasizes a holistic approach to protecting and restoring mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, and grasslands, with carbon reduction given strategic priority. Beijing will also promote pollution control, ecological protection and the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development during the five-year period, said Liu Xianshu, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.

From five dimensions of developing lower carbon, fresher air, cleaner water, safer soil and more livable ecology, the plan set 16 target indicators, including carbon emission intensity and average annual concentration of PM2.5, Liu said.

The plan forecasts that the ecological environment will be fundamentally improved and the supply of high-quality ecological products will be more sufficient in Beijing by 2035.