Cong Xiaonan, Institute of Ecological Civilization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: Collaborative governance continues to improve the overall effect of air pollution prevention and control

On the whole, China has achieved positive results in the field of air pollution prevention and control, and various localities and departments have accumulated valuable experience, which can be summarized as "four synergies".

First, promote the coordination of pollution control and green development in key industries. The steel, cement and coking industries are the focus of air pollution prevention and control in China. Taking the steel industry as an example, its emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides account for 30%, 14% and 16% of the industrial industry respectively, ranking first in the non-electric industry. In recent years, China's steel industry has set off a green revolution, and by the end of 2023, a total of 400 million tons of crude steel production capacity in the country has completed the whole process of ultra-low emission transformation, and a number of typical enterprises such as Changshu Longteng Special Steel Co., Ltd. and Ningbo Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. have emerged. Through the implementation of ultra-low emission transformation, the pollutant emission intensity of the steel industry has been significantly reduced, which has effectively promoted the improvement of ambient air quality in key regions and the whole country.

Second, we need to adhere to the coordinated governance of pollution reduction and carbon reduction. Air pollutants and greenhouse gases have the same root and origin, and promoting the coordinated management of pollution reduction and carbon reduction will achieve twice the result with half the effort. Based on the compilation of the emission inventory of air pollution sources and greenhouse gas emissions in the early stage, Jinshan District of Shanghai has promoted the integration of air pollutants and greenhouse gas inventory, and has played an active role in data mining, clarifying key emission sources, and clarifying key emission reduction areas, links and processes. Jiangsu Xishan Industrial Park focuses on the dual control of energy consumption and carbon emission intensity control goals, and carries out feasibility studies in the planning and project environmental impact assessments, so as to put forward the optimal plan. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas continue to promote clean heating, which not only significantly reduces the consumption of loose coal, but also effectively improves air quality.

Third, focus on the coordinated management of multiple pollutants. Ozone and PM_2.5 have a certain degree of homology, and the key to governance lies in the coordinated emission reduction of their common precursors. Beijing has promoted the continuous improvement of air quality by strengthening institutional innovation and policy integration. Shanghai has deployed a number of major research projects, focusing on strengthening the management of power plants, boilers, key enterprises and mobile sources, so that the concentration of major air pollutants such as PM_2.5 has been significantly reduced, and the rising trend of ozone concentration has also been initially curbed.

Fourth, we need to strengthen coordinated governance between regions. Air pollution has the characteristics of cross-regional transmission, and it is of great significance to adhere to regional joint prevention and control to effectively improve air quality. At present, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding areas, the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration, the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains, the Northeast region, and the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River have all established joint prevention and control mechanisms for air pollution. Taking the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and surrounding areas as an example, the overall effect of regional air pollution prevention and control has been significantly improved through monitoring and consultation, data sharing, emergency linkage and coordinated response.

The central government's air pollution prevention and control funds have increased year after year, which is of great significance to China's precise air pollution control. The air pollution prevention and control fund is an important part of the central ecological environment fund, which is specially used to support the prevention and control of air pollution and the coordinated response to climate change. In 2023, the central government will allocate 33 billion yuan in air pollution prevention and control funds, doubling from 2017. In 2024, 34 billion yuan will be allocated to a new high, and it will focus on supporting clean heating in winter in the northern region, and building capacity for atmospheric environment governance and management. Specifically, it mainly includes the following aspects.

The first is clean energy substitution projects. At present, there are still domestic coal such as household heating and agricultural production coal such as grain storage and drying equipment and agricultural product processing in rural areas. Dispersed and inefficient coal burning is an important cause of pollution such as PM_2.5 and sulfur dioxide, and the environmental harm is greater.

The second is the comprehensive treatment of boilers. Including the elimination of coal-fired boilers, the ultra-low emission transformation of coal-fired boilers, the low-nitrogen transformation of gas-fired boilers, and the in-depth treatment of biomass boilers, etc., that is, focusing on supporting the elimination of coal-fired boilers of 35 steam tons/hour and below, promoting the ultra-low emission transformation of coal-fired boilers above 65 steam tons/hour, promoting the transformation of low-nitrogen combustion of gas boilers, and laying out in-depth treatment projects such as dust removal and denitrification of biomass boilers.

The third is the comprehensive management of industrial furnaces. Including kiln phase-out, clean energy substitution and end-of-line treatment. Focus on supporting the elimination of processes and equipment projects with high air pollutant emission intensity and difficult treatment; Industrial furnaces such as heating furnaces, heat treatment furnaces, drying furnaces, and melting furnaces using highly polluting fuels are converted to clean and low-carbon energy projects; In-depth treatment projects in glass, lime, mineral wool, nonferrous metals and other industries.

Fourth, comprehensive management of volatile organic compounds. Focus on supporting the whole-process treatment of volatile organic compounds, including source substitution, terminal treatment, and green island project construction. Among them, the Green Island project focuses on supporting the construction of centralized coating centers in parks and clusters where industrial coating enterprises of the same category gather, and supports the construction of centralized adsorbent regeneration centers in areas with large adsorbent use.

Fifth, ultra-low emission transformation in key industries. This is a powerful measure to effectively reduce pollution emissions and continuously improve air quality in the whole society, focusing on supporting ultra-low emission transformation projects in steel, cement, coking and other industries.

Sixth, capacity building. Comprehensively promote the construction of a modern air pollution monitoring system, and support capacity building such as monitoring, supervision, and response to heavily polluted weather.

The author is deputy director of the Research Office of Resources and Environmental Economics, Institute of Ecological Civilization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences