Beijing Now Has the Cleanest Air Ever Recorded in the City’s History

Beijing might finally be catching a break from worldwide criticism of its air.

Officials reported that in the first half of 2019, the Chinese capital’s concentration of four major air pollutants had reached an all-time low since records began in 1984, with only three “heavily-polluted” days.

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The report further states that the concentration of four major pollutants –– PM10, PM 2.5, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide –– plummeted significantly.

But a blue sky doesn’t come easy — Beijing’s been putting forth immense effort to tackle its air pollution over the years, as it replaces coal with sustainable energy sources, builds carbon capture plants, and enforces environmental laws on a massive scale. There’s even a new tax on those who over-emit carbon dioxide.

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Though Beijing’s war on pollution still has a long way to go, and nationwide the picture isn’t quite so clear, it looks like the city’s air quality is headed in a positive direction as both individuals and the government start to treat carbon emissions more seriously.

Photo by Zhipeng Ya