History of Air Pollution Control in Chongqing - 1997 to the 2020s

History of Air Pollution Control in Chongqing - 1997 to the 2020s

Air pollution control in Chongqing made significant progress from 1997 to the 2020s. 1997 was a time of serious air pollution problems, and the city government initiated initial measures that included tightening emission standards and banning the use of older vehicles. The main culprits were emissions from coal-fired power plants and older vehicles. The goal at the time was to reduce urban coal consumption by 20% per year.

In the 2000s, while economic growth continued under the Great Western Development Policy, air pollution worsened. During this period, the Chongqing Power Generation Group installed flue gas desulfurization equipment, reducing annual SO2 emissions by about 30%. In addition, with the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, hydroelectric power generation became widespread, successfully reducing coal consumption by 2 million tons per year. Public transportation has also been improved, with Chongqing Rail Transit serving an average of 500,000 passengers per day by 2009.

The 2010s saw the introduction of clean energy and the popularization of electric vehicles: companies such as BYD and NIO manufactured EVs in the city, and by 2019, 30% of new car sales were EVs. In addition, a subsidy program for the scrapping of obsolete vehicles was introduced, and approximately 20,000 vehicles were scrapped annually. Industrial emissions were also curbed, with the Chongqing Iron and Steel Group reducing annual CO2 emissions by 10 million tons through the installation of state-of-the-art equipment. During this period, PM2.5 concentration improved from 70 μg/m³ in 2015 to 50 μg/m³ in 2020.

Further progress was made in the 2020s, with PM2.5 concentrations dropping to an average of 35 μg/m³. Hydroelectric power generation from the Three Gorges Dam accounts for 40% of the electricity supply, and solar and wind power generation are also increasing. The Chongqing Orbital Transportation System averaged more than 2 million passengers per day, contributing to the reduction of emissions from traffic. As a result, the incidence of chronic respiratory diseases has decreased by 30% compared to the 2010s. On the other hand, seasonal smog problems due to rapid urbanization and increased traffic remain a challenge.

Chongqing's measures are being implemented to achieve both environmental protection and economic growth, and further improvements are expected.