China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced sustained progress in environmental protection efforts during its annual review on Wednesday, with 2025 marking measurable improvements in air and water quality across the country.
Air Quality Gains
Average PM2.5 concentrations in 339 monitored cities fell to 28.0 micrograms per cubic meter last year, a 4.4% reduction from 2024 levels. PM10 levels also dropped 2.0% to 48 micrograms per cubic meter. Nationwide, cities reported good air quality on 89.3% of days in 2025 when excluding sandstorm disruptions – a 1.9 percentage point improvement.
Water Quality Advances
Surface water monitoring showed 91.4% of 3,641 test sites met good quality standards, while 78.5% of key lakes and reservoirs achieved similar benchmarks. Both figures represent year-on-year improvements of over 1 percentage point, signaling steady progress in water management initiatives.
The ministry attributed these results to strengthened pollution controls and green development policies implemented under China's 14th Five-Year Plan framework. Environmental analysts suggest these trends position the country favorably to meet its 2030 carbon neutrality targets.
