China has reported further progress in reducing pollution and expanding clean energy as the country’s annual parliamentary meetings concluded in Beijing. During the gatherings of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), commonly known as the “Two Sessions,” Prime Minister Li Qiang outlined recent environmental and energy trends.
According to government data presented at the meetings, the share of non-fossil energy in China’s total primary energy consumption has reached 21.7%. The country has also continued efforts to reduce air pollution: the average concentration of PM2.5 particles in cities at county level and above fell by 4.4%.
Water quality indicators have also improved. The proportion of monitored surface water sites rated as having good quality has increased to 91.4% following expanded protection efforts for major rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
China is also advancing large-scale renewable energy projects in desert regions, where the first major energy bases using solar and wind power have already begun operating. At the same time, the country’s installed capacity of new-type energy storage systems has surpassed 130 gigawatts.
Looking ahead, the government plans to further cut the carbon intensity of China’s GDP by around 3.8% in 2026 as part of broader efforts to expand clean energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.