China experiences heavier air pollution

China experienced more severe air pollution last month, according to a new report, which analysts say highlights how vital it is to implement the country's new reduction commitment.

The country's environmental watchdog revealed that air pollution in China's capital city Beijing and neighbouring Tianjin and Hebei was heavier than other parts of the country in August.

Overall, the 13 monitored cities in the area failed to meet the required standards set by the Ministry of Environmental Protection on 20 of the 31 days of the month, despite the national average standing at just ten.

According to the ministry, the main pollutants in the region were ozone and PM2.5 - the airborne particles that measure less than 2.5 microns in diameter and can pose health risks.

Across the 74 monitored cities in the country, air quality only met the standard in 20.68 of the 31 days in August, equivalent to 66.7 per cent of the month - down four percentage points from July.

Some areas did set a good example, with East China's Yangtze River Delta and South China's Pearl River Delta having more clear days than other parts of China; the former recorded 67.2 per cent of days where the standard was met, while the latter had 76 per cent.

It comes after the country announced that it is to put strict and ambitious targets in place to help combat the smog in its major cities and bring down the amount of emissions China produces every day.

In order to solve the problem, the country has vowed to slash coal consumption and close polluting mills, factories and smelters.

China intends to cut a key indicator of air pollution by 25 per cent in the capital and its surrounding provinces by 2017, but some say it could be a potential risk to the country's efforts to meet targets to reduce PM 2.5.

Also, while it may set a precedent for other nations to follow, some analysts say it may be infeasible.