A government plan released on September 12 says that China will take a multi-faceted approach in tackling the country's air pollution.
The government aims to cut the density of inhalable particulate matter by at least 10 percent in major cities nationwide by 2017.
PM 2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, should fall by about 25 percent from 2012 levels recorded in Beijing and surrounding provincial areas by 2017, according to the plan.
The plan also says that the Yangtze Delta and the Pearl River Delta regions in the south of China will see reductions of 20 and 15 percent respectively, from their 2012 levels over the same period.
The plan lists strategies to cut coal use, shut down major contributors to air pollution and promote cleaner production methods.
Carrying out the plan will require an injection of funds amounting to around 1.75 trillion yuan ($286 billion) according to estimates from the Ministry of Environmental Protection. |