Lessons From China In Tackling Pollution

China and India have long grappled with severe air pollution. However, once a global symbol of smog, Beijing managed to cut its annual PM2.5 levels by more than 50% between 2013 and 2021, while Delhi continues to rank among the world’s most polluted cities.

Key Policy Drives of Beijing

• Decline in Pollution Levels: Beijing PM2.5 levels declined from 102 μg/m³ (2013) to 31 μg/m³ (2024). This represents a reduction of over 50% in particulate pollution levels.
• Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan and Blue Sky Protection Campaign.
• Three Pillars of Success: 
  • Coherent Policy: A unified vision rather than scattered laws.
  • Strict Enforcement: Massive penalties for non-compliance. “Environmental Vertical Reform” ensured local officials were accountable.
  • Regional Coordination: They used a unified “Airshed” Strategy i.e Beijing coordinated with neighbouring Tianjin and Hebei provinces through a unified airshed strategy. This ensured the regulation of transboundary air pollution.
• Outcome: Average PM2.5 levels declined from 102 μg/m³ in 2013 to 31 μg/m³ in 2024, marking a significant turnaround.

Key Measures Taken

• Promotion of Electric Mobility: The government expanded electric mobility to reduce vehicular emissions.
• Industrial Relocation and Shutdown: Hundreds of polluting industries were shut down or relocated.
• Transition from Coal to Cleaner Fuel: Thousands of coal-fired boilers were replaced with natural gas.
• Stricter Vehicular Emission Standards:  Stringent China VI vehicular emission standards were imposed.
• Advanced Air Quality Monitoring: One of the world’s most densely deployed real-time PM2.5 air quality monitoring systems was established.
• Enforcement Through Penalties: Substantial penalties were imposed for non-compliance.

Areas Where India is Lacking?

• Fragmented governance: Multiple agencies (Union, Delhi government, municipal bodies, pollution control boards) create a diffused accountability structure.
• Siloed functioning: Agencies operate independently rather than in a coordinated manner.
• Weak regional coordination: CAQM’s directives on stubble burning and cross-state pollution are largely unauthoritative, unlike Beijing’s unified airshed strategy.
• Enforcement Issues: Understaffed and underfunded pollution control boards, limiting inspection, monitoring, and enforcement.
  • Weak penalties and inconsistent enforcement for violations.
  • Lack of real-time monitoring systems comparable to Beijing’s dense PM2.5 network.

Structural and Sectoral Constraints in Delhi

• Industrial Relocations: Projects like Bawana faltered due to poor infrastructure.
• Waste-to-Energy: Plants failed to meet air-quality norms.
• Public Transport: Expansion has lagged behind city growth.
• Behavioural Change: Slower adoption of clean habits compared to China.

Check Out UPSC CSE Books

Visit PW Store

Way Forward

• Mission Mode Approach: Treat air pollution as a national public health emergency, adopting a whole-of-government, mission-mode strategy similar to China’s approach.
• Clean Energy Transition: Accelerate the shift away from coal-based energy while enforcing energy-efficiency standards across industry and urban infrastructure.
• Transport Sector Reforms: Strictly enforce BS-VI emission norms and scale up public transport systems and electric vehicle adoption.
• Regional Airshed Governance: Govern air pollution as a regional problem, adopting a Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei–style airshed model for Delhi–NCR and adjoining regions.
• Functional Industrial Zoning: Move beyond paper-based industrial relocation towards fully serviced industrial zones with utilities, transport access, and emissions-control infrastructure.
• Real-Time Emissions Monitoring: Ensure continuous real-time monitoring of industrial smoke, effluents, and waste to enforce compliance effectively.
• Electric Mobility Incentivisation: Expand EV charging infrastructure, strengthen electric mobility incentives, and integrate EVs with mass public transport networks.

Conclusion

The economy exists within the bounds of the environment, not vice versa. Achieving blue skies is possible only through strong political will and strict governance.

DOWNLOAD PDF