On September 5, 2026, ahead of the seventh International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, an international event themed "Adding Blue to Our Cities" was held at Chengdu Sci-Tech Innovation Eco-Island.

As the birthplace of China's "park city" vision, Chengdu has shown the world how a megacity can balance development with environmental protection. In 2025, the city recorded 295 days of good air quality and 81 days on which distant snow-capped mountains were visible. Both figures hit historic highs.

Yaomei Peak [Photo by Wenfeng Zhang]

Data show that in 2025, China's average PM2.5 concentration fell to 28 micrograms per cubic meter, down 59% from 2013, and the share of days with heavy pollution dropped to 0.9%. Both represent the best levels on record.

Official figures show that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the number of days with good or excellent air quality in Chengdu increased from 280 to 295, while the average concentration of PM2.5 fell from 41 micrograms per cubic meter to 33 micrograms per cubic meter. The centuries-old poetic line describing the snow-capped Xiling Mountains visible from Chengdu is becoming an everyday sight for local residents looking out their windows.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the Sichuan-Chongqing region has been designated as an area for intensified air pollution prevention and control, with comprehensive measures to be implemented in line with those for key regions. This is both recognition of Chengdu's progress in air pollution control and a sign of the higher standards it is expected to meet.

Behind these figures is a systematic approach to pollution control. Chengdu has adopted targeted measures to "leverage small-scale initiatives to drive broader governance", including replacing vehicles used in the public sector with new-energy vehicles and piloting near-zero-carbon construction sites. The city has also advanced structural adjustments in four key areas—spatial planning, industry, transportation and energy—taking a distinctive approach to air pollution control in a megacity.

Changqiu Moon Viewing Platform and Mount Gongga [Photo by Han Zhang]

Just three days before the theme event for the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies was held, a warm-up event had already quietly gotten underway.

On September 2, the 2nd Z‑Generation International Eco‑Environment Young Journalists Workshop kicked off in Chengdu. Thirty‑four international young people gathered at LuxeLakes Art & Exhibition Center to embark on a four‑day ecological study tour. They visited LuxeLake Park Community, No.1 Water Reclamation Plant of Sichuan Tianfu New Area, Xinglong Lake Planning Exhibition Hall and Laolong Village Near‑Zero‑Carbon Community to gain first‑hand experience of Chengdu's green initiatives.

As air quality improvement enters its second phase, efforts have shifted from cutting pollutants "microgram by microgram" to reducing them "0.1 microgram by 0.1 microgram". Lin Yu, Deputy Director of the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, noted at the thematic event: "The second phase of air governance is essentially governance of public mindsets."

Yuantong Ancient Town at the Foot of snow-capped Mountains [Photo by Zhihong Zhu]

"What makes Chengdu so appealing lies not only in its 81‑day snow‑capped mountain views and 295 days of good‑quality air, but also in how the city has turned the 'Park City blessed with Snow Mountains' into a way of life, a cultural identity and a source of collective pride," said Lin Yu. (By Libin Nie,Shichun Shen,Yuqing Liu)