Last coal mine to close, as greener future opens up

To ease the capital's air pollution and improve the natural environment, the municipal government has pursued multiple approaches in different sectors.

Beijing has set up a monitoring network for PM2.5 pollutant particles, covering 1,300 monitoring stations located in 300 streets.

Liu Baoxian, head of the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center, said last year the city recorded 195 consecutive days without heavy PM2.5 pollution, more than double the number of 87 recorded in 2013.

Beijing's energy, industrial and transportation infrastructure have all been upgraded as the air quality improves. City authorities have shut down 2,600 polluting companies over the past five years, while also encouraging the use of electric vehicles.

In March, the United Nations Environment Programme published a report on Beijing's air pollution campaign, which said the city had provided a valuable example to other international cities on achieving their goals in a short period.

Beijing has also increased the number of greenbelts and urban parks to provide more enjoyable recreational spaces for its citizens. By next year, Beijing's subcenter in Tongzhou district will have forest covering 33 percent of its area, aiming to create an environment where people see greenery when they open their doors.