Editor's note: One of the stated goals in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) is to lower PM2.5 concentration to below 27 micrograms per cubic meter in cities at or above the prefectural level. Beijing News spoke to He Kebin, dean of the Institute for Carbon Neutrality at Tsinghua University about China's air pollution control efforts. Below are excerpts of the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

The comprehensive improvement of environmental quality in the 15th Five-Year Plan period requires more efforts toward air pollution control. The relatively easy and low-cost emissions reduction options have been largely exhausted. The country needs to enter a new phase of deep adjustment of its pollution control system.

The gains will come mainly from structural changes. For energy, this means accelerating the replacement of fossil fuels with clean energy nationwide. Traditional industries need to shift toward green, low-carbon and circular models. For transport, the transition must go beyond vehicle electrification to a broader optimization of the entire transport system.

Also, the governance approach needs to shift from reducing pollutant concentrations to reducing health risks. The five-year plan emphasizes comprehensive environmental quality improvement with the underlying goal of protecting public health.

Both meteorological conditions and emissions reduction measures influence air quality, so it is essential to have a sound system to assess their impact on air quality.

By combining meteorological models, air quality models and high-resolution emissions inventories, it is now possible to accurately separate the contributions of weather and different sources and apply control measures accordingly. This helps identify which policies are most effective and strengthens confidence among both policymakers and the public.

Unfavorable meteorological conditions are more likely to offset the progress made through emissions control measures. This means greater certainty in emissions reductions is needed to counter the growing uncertainty created by extreme weather events. More precise analysis and forecasting will therefore be essential.

Given this, coordination should be strengthened in three areas in the coming years.

First, there should be coordination in the control of multiple pollutants. Joint management of PM2.5 and ozone is critical. Only by cutting emissions on the scale of tens of millions of tons can the 27 micrograms per cubic meter target be achieved.

Second, there should also be cross-sector and cross-technology coordination. As new energy industries and technologies such as carbon capture develop, their environmental impact must be assessed across the full life cycle. For example, battery recycling and the secondary environmental effects of carbon capture require cross-sector approaches that cover air, water and soil pollution.

Third, there should be synergy between pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. The 15th Five-Year Plan period is critical for achieving peak carbon emissions. Deep adjustments to energy and industrial structures are the most effective way to cut both pollution and carbon emissions.

Embedding air quality management into the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality is the fundamental path toward green transformation and the key to meeting the 27 micrograms per cubic meter target.

In the future, the methods of measuring air quality will become more diverse and refined. The government needs to benchmark against the higher standards set by the World Health Organization. Additionally, health-related indicators should be given more attention. The evaluation of a city's air quality should no longer rely solely on whether the annual average PM2.5 concentration falls below 27 micrograms per cubic meter. It should also consider factors more directly linked to public health, such as the elimination of heavily polluted days and reductions in specific harmful components.