Taiwan Sets Ambitious Air Quality Targets: PM2.5 Standard Down to 8µg/m³ by 2035

Ministry of Environment unveils comprehensive plan to improve air quality and address public concerns.

Taipei, May 16 - The Ministry of Environment (MOENV) of Taiwan has announced a significant tightening of its air quality standards, setting a target of 8 micrograms (µg) of PM2.5 per cubic meter by 2035. This is a key step in ongoing efforts to improve air quality across the island.

The current PM2.5 standard is 12.4 µg per square meter. The new standards aim to improve on this. Air quality will be defined as "normal" instead of "fair" when concentrations are 12.5 µg per square meter or over.

Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) highlighted the government's commitment to a multi-faceted approach, including enhanced control strategies, revisions to air quality regulations, and collaborative efforts across various government departments. These measures are designed to further decrease air pollution.

Minister Peng noted that despite significant progress – with Taiwan's air quality ranking among the best in Asia, second only to Japan – public perception often lags behind the improvements. He further emphasized that the average annual concentration of PM2.5 has fallen from 20 µg per square meter in 2016 to 12.8 µg per square meter in 2024.

The white paper aims to communicate the policy initiatives in a clear and accessible manner to the public. The paper acknowledges public concerns, particularly regarding pollution from transportation, followed by industrial emissions and pollutants from daily life, as major sources of air pollution in Taiwan.

MOENV Department of Atmospheric Environment head Huang Wei-ming (黃偉鳴) detailed the four core chapters of the white paper. These included promoting sustainability and health, refining key points for air pollution improvement, pollution reduction strategies aligned with net-zero and co-beneficial goals, and technological application and citizen involvement.

The Air Quality Policy White Paper incorporates feedback from 570 public and expert suggestions, resulting in the identification of 42 key issues and the definition of 62 concrete tasks, including revisions to the Air Pollution Control Act, according to Minister Peng.