Focus on Arts and Ecology

The Chinese government has released air quality targets in northern China this winter under the finalised Jing-Jin-Ji winter air pollution action plan. The target for PM 2.5 and the number of polluted days in the region will be a 3% reduction from the previous year rather than a 5% reduction as planned in the August draft. Orders for key industries to slash their production by a certain percent were also eliminated this year. Instead, restrictions will be adjusted based on local conditions. Some media outlets have interpreted the 3% target as a relaxation of air pollution measures. But experts say it will still be hard to meet it as air pollution dropped significantly last year. However, as oversight is devolved to the local level under the new plan, pollution may be harder to control.