Report finds significant drop in PM2.5 level

A report that assessed the health effects of improved air quality in China highlighted a sharp reduction in PM2.5 — particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less — exposure.

The national average PM2.5 concentration fell from 63 micrograms per cubic meter in 2013 to 33 micrograms in 2020, enabling more than half of the population to breathe air that meets national standards.

The report released on Thursday also found that China has reversed a 0.6-year decline in life expectancy from 2013 to 2020 thanks to significant air pollution control measures.