London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

China finds way to improve air quality

China finds way to improve air quality

Beijing experienced its best air quality for Lunar New Year’s Eve in nine years
Air quality in China’s capital on Lunar New Year’s Eve was the best it has been since monitoring began in 2013, thanks to a fireworks ban introduced in an apparent effort to clean the city’s air ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics.

The update on air pollution readings was given by the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau on Tuesday. The average concentration of hazardous airborne PM 2.5 particles stood at 5 micrograms per cubic meter on Monday night. This was a significant drop compared to the average of 289 micrograms seen last Lunar New Year’s Eve.

Beijing put a complete ban on fireworks in place across the city this year, while previously they had only been banned in the center.

Other cities across northern China, including Zhangjiakou, which is co-hosting the Winter Olympics, also introduced a ban on selling and lighting fireworks.

The Chinese authorities did not directly link the firework restrictions to the upcoming Winter Olympics. However, officials had previously promised to take action against air pollutants in the capital after a Ministry of Ecology and Environment spokesman said the weather conditions in winter would be “very unfavorable” to sustain good air quality during the games.

The 2022 Winter Olympics will be held from February 4 to 20 in Beijing and the surrounding province of Hebei. The area is prone to heavy smog, especially in winter, and the authorities have shut down polluting firms and factories and promoted green energy consumption to curb the environmental problem.

Traditionally, Chinese people celebrate the Lunar New Year by lighting up fireworks and firecrackers, which are believed to bring good luck for the rest of the year. For this reason, the restriction sparked negative reactions among internet users across the country.

“It's boring to not allow the fireworks for the New Year. What's the difference from usual? The traditions are lost,” Reuters quoted one Weibo user as saying.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Lula and Putin Hold Strategic BRICS Discussions Ahead of Trump–Putin Summit
WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that looks a lot like Telegram.
Investigations Reveal Rise in ‘Sex-for-Rent’ Listings Across Canada Exploiting Vulnerable Tenants
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
×