In 2024, Beijing achieved its best air quality performance in history, with 290 days of good or excellent air quality, accounting for 79.2% of the year, nearly 80%. This represents an increase of 19 days compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the number of severely polluted days has significantly decreased to just 2 days. The blue skies in Beijing are not only more frequent but also clearer and more transparent.

Compared to 2013, the number of good air quality days in 2024 increased by 114 days, which is equivalent to an additional four months of good air quality, the highest on record. The number of severely polluted days dropped from 58 to 2, a reduction of 96.6%, the lowest in history.

Distribution of Days with Different Air Quality Levels from 2013 to 2024:

The concentrations of four major pollutants—PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and SO2—decreased by 65.9%, 50.0%, 57.1%, and 88.7%, respectively, compared to 2013. The air quality has shown a sustained trend of improvement. Beijing has successfully achieved rapid reductions in major pollutant concentrations in the atmosphere while maintaining high-quality economic and social development, leading to significant improvements in air quality.

PM2.5 levels are good or excellent on over 90% of days, and "Beijing Blue" is becoming the norm. The indicator most closely related to "Beijing Blue" is PM2.5. The following calendar chart, spanning 12 years, records the PM2.5 levels for every day in Beijing from 2013 to 2024. It can be intuitively seen that the color schemes representing different PM2.5 levels on the calendar have shifted from a "rainbow of colors" to a "lush green," objectively reflecting the journey of air quality improvement in Beijing.

In 2024, the number of days in Beijing with PM2.5 levels reaching good or excellent quality reached as high as 345 days, accounting for 94.3%. It is worth noting that in 2024, the number of consecutive days with PM2.5 levels continuously maintained at good or excellent levels exceeded half a year. In contrast, this figure was only 13 days in 2013. "Beijing Blue" is gradually becoming the norm.

PM2.5 Level Calendar Map from 2013 to 2024

Source: https://sthjj.beijing.gov.cn/bjhrb/index/xxgk69/zfxxgk43/fdzdgknr2/ywdt28/xwfb/543502506/index.html