In the first 10 months of the year, China has prosecuted more than 3,500 people for pollution related crimes which is up nearly 40% on a year ago. Beijing has encouraged courts and polite departments to establish dedicated environmental divisions to help fight the climate change problem.

China prosecuted more than 3,500 people for pollution-related crimes in the first 10 months of the year, up nearly 40 per cent on a year ago.

The news that China is bracing for smog waves as the winter heating season begins has once again put the dangerous levels of air pollution in Asia in the spotlight. With the air in Beijing and adjacent areas expected to become heavily polluted over the next week, China will be facing concern – yet again – over its underwhelming response to the problem.

A University of Chicago study found that across the globe, the average person is losing 1.8 years of life expectancy due to particulate pollution exceeding the WHO's guideline and that's worse than first-hand cigarette smoke, alcohol, HIV/AIDs and conflict. China and Indonesia are badly affected by particulate pollution with their life expectancy cut by seven years and five and a half years respectively.

China will ban the import of 32 types of waste to reduce environmental pollution in line with a new focus on protecting the environment. This regulatory action will go into effect from December 31st according to official news agency Xinhua which cited four Chinese government agencies. Such newly banned product types include hardware, ships, auto parts and stainless steel waste.

Life is not getting better for the residents living lost to the Kostolac power plant complex in Eastern Serbia as thick smoke billows from Serbia’s main coal-fired power station. Academics in climate change say China is tackling pollution at home by implementing renewable energy projects and reducing the use of coal, the most impactful fossil fuel.

Global life expectancies are 1.8 years shorter than they should be due to pollution, a new report has found. A new study from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of the University of Chicago further prove how the effects of pollution are most devastating in the most crowded cities in the most populous countries, India and China.

Environmental activist Ma Jun has helped to change behaviours in China with an app that shares real-time pollution data emitted by Chinese factories and other sources on Weibo. China appears to be on the verge of launching a carbon market that will link the cost of carbon pollution to the price of products and activities that cause that pollution.

Pollution readings of PM 2.5 soared to 311 at midday on 14th November according to data released by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment which is 12 times higher than the average ‘healthy’ exposure in a 24-hour period (according to the WHO). Pictures showing Beijing’s iconic skyline and CBD are hardly visible through the haze during the annual ‘smog season’.

Making headlines on social media, there is odd footage showing a five-storey apartment building cruising down the Yangtze River in China. It was found that the eatery had to be relocated by local authorities because it was causing too much pollution to the river, according to Chinese media. Such floating restaurants have recently been banned in Jiangjin district over pollution concerns, according to Chongqing maritime authorities.