SHENZHEN will try to lower the concentration of polluting particles to 25 micrograms per cubic meter by 2020, according to an air quality improvement plan (2017-2020) that was passed at the city government’s executive meeting Monday.

    If the target is attained, the air quality in Shenzhen will reach the European Union Standard of the World Health Organization.

    Shenzhen implemented its air quality improvement plan in 2013 to gradually improve air quality phase by phase. In the past four years, the city implemented 40 air quality improvement measures including banning vehicles that failed emissions standards and high-pollution fuel, and eliminating use of low-quality industrial coal.

    Through implementation of the measures, emissions of pollutants in the city were greatly reduced and air quality was improved. In 2015, the total emissions of PM2.5, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, PM10 and volatile organic compounds dropped by 11,000 tons, 7,000 tons, 33,000 tons, 20,000 tons and 51,000 tons, respectively in 2016 compared to figures recorded in 2012. The PM2.5 concentration dropped to 27 micrograms per cubic meter in 2016, and the city’s air quality was ranked in the top 10 of major Chinese cities.

    The latest plan in the upgraded version of the “40 measures” includes 30 measures that center around prevention and treatment of PM2.5 and ozone gas. It covers prevention and treatment of vehicle emissions, vessel pollution and pollution by heavy machinery. The city will also improve the emissions standards of power plants and boilers.

    By 2020, days of good and fairly good air quality will account for 98 percent of the year in Shenzhen, according to the plan.

    (Han Ximin)