China 2021 PM2.5 air quality target set at 34.5 micrograms per cu m - environment ministry

China will aim to keep average levels of small, hazardous airborne particles known as PM2.5 at 34.5 micrograms per cubic meter over the course of 2021, the environment ministry said on Thursday.

That is slightly higher than the average of 33 micrograms registered in 337 monitored cities over the whole of 2020. The capital Beijing averaged 38 micrograms for the whole of last year.

China's national standard is currently 35 micrograms per cubic meter, while the World Health Organization recommends average annual levels of no more than 10 micrograms.