Binding targets motivate governments

Binding targets for PM2.5 levels set out in the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) will push local governments to implement stricter policies for coal use and emissions reduction, experts said at a low carbon forum on Thursday.

"Setting a reduction goal is a top-down approach to tackling the environmental problem," said Du Xiangwan, deputy director of the China Expert Panel on Climate Change.

This is the first time that the reduction of PM2.5 - particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less that are hazardous to human health - has been specified as a binding target in a five-year plan, Du said.