China’s newly revised Ambient “Air Quality Standards” to take effect
Recently, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly released the Environmental Air Quality Standard (GB 3095-2026) along with two supporting technical specifications, revising the relevant standards issued in 2012. The new standards will take effect on March 1—meaning stricter criteria for “good air quality” will be implemented to better safeguard public health.
An official from the Ministry’s Department of Atmospheric Environment explained that the revisions comprehensively considered scientific evidence on the health impacts of PM2.5 exposure both domestically and internationally, the need to protect the ecological environment and social welfare, the goal of building a Beautiful China, and China’s current stage of economic and social development. The adjustments include: The daily average concentration Level I limit is adjusted to 25ug/m³, and the Level II limit to 50ug/m³. Simultaneously, the concentration limits for three pollutants—PM10, sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)—have been tightened, aligning overall with the transition values for Phase II in the latest World Health Organization (WHO) Global Air Quality Guidelines.
Additionally, supporting technical specifications were revised concurrently. The Technical Specifications for Air Quality Index (AQI) (HJ 633-2026) updated the graded concentration thresholds for PM2.5 and PM10 within the AQI, refined definitions of sensitive populations for different air pollutants, and guided the public in adopting targeted preventive and protective measures during polluted weather. The Technical Specification for Environmental Air Quality Evaluation (HJ 663-2026) refines existing evaluation methods, introduces definitions and requirements for exceptional events, adopts a three-year rolling average evaluation approach, and specifies data rounding requirements to enhance the scientific rigor and objectivity of evaluation outcomes.
It is reported that the new standards will be implemented in phases: Phase I, from March 1, 2026, to December 31, 2030, will enforce transitional concentration limits, namely secondary annual and daily average concentration limits of 30ug/m³ and 60ug/m³ for PM2.5, respectively. Phase II, effective January 1, 2031, will enforce the revised concentration limits for PM2.5, PM10, SO2, and NO2 nationwide.
The official stated that following the release of the newly revised standards, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment will plan and implement a new round of air quality improvement actions. It will guide localities to adhere to precise, scientific, and law-based pollution control, develop tailored air quality compliance pathways based on local conditions, and systematically advance structural adjustments and pollution control in sectors such as energy, industry, and transportation—with reducing PM2.5 concentrations as the main focus—to drive sustained improvements in air quality. Concurrently, the supporting monitoring methodology and capacity system will be enhanced: – Monitoring Methods: Continuously advance the formulation and revision of relevant monitoring standards, and implement the equivalence assessment mechanism for monitoring methods. – Monitoring Items: Strengthen monitoring and risk assessment of toxic and harmful atmospheric pollutants such as heavy metals. – Monitoring Capacity: Continuously enhance the digital and intelligent capabilities of the national atmospheric environment monitoring network to support the improvement of the atmospheric environment management system. Additionally, systematic efforts will be made to interpret new standards and provide technical guidance, while intensifying the promotion of advanced experiences and major achievements in air quality improvement across regions.
