The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has released the "2025 China Ecological and Environmental Status Bulletin," revealing a consistent upward trend in the ecological and environmental quality of the Chinese mainland. The latest data indicates substantial progress in air purification, water management, and the preservation of natural landscapes.
A key highlight of the report is the improvement in air quality. In 2025, the average PM2.5 concentration across 339 major cities dropped to 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter. Looking ahead to the remainder of this year, 2026, officials expect this figure to decrease further to 28 micrograms. Furthermore, the number of heavily polluted days saw a 25% reduction compared to the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).
Water resources also showed marked improvement. High-quality surface water now accounts for 91.4% nationwide, marking the second year in a row that the rate has exceeded 90%. The main stems of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers have remained stable at Class II quality. In coastal areas, nearly 85% of the water is categorized as "Excellent or Good."
The bulletin also emphasizes gains in land and forest management. Forest coverage reached 25.09%, while the combined forest and grass coverage rate surpassed 56%. Additionally, the national water and soil conservation rate improved to 73.09%, and rural wastewater treatment now reaches 55% of the population. The soil environmental status of farmland also remained stable, with 93% safe utilization of polluted arable land.
In a historic first, the environmental departments of Hong Kong and Macao participated in the compilation of this report, contributing vital data on the air, marine, and acoustic environments of the two special administrative regions. This inclusive approach provides a more comprehensive view of the region's ecological health.
As the 37th consecutive annual bulletin, this report not only captures recent achievements but also offers a retrospective look at the transformative changes occurring over the last decade, with some indicators tracing back to 2016. Through detailed images and data, the bulletin illustrates the Chinese mainland's commitment to a sustainable and green future.
Reference(s):
China sees further improvement in ecological environment in 2025
cgtn.com
