The Evolution of Ozone Concentration and Achievements, Challenges and Countermeasures of Volatile Organic Compounds Governance in Typical Regions of China

During the past few years, China's air pollution and economic development have basically been decoupled. However, the ozone concentration has been increasing and became a restraining factor against the improvement of China’s air quality. By analyzing the evolution of ozone concentration and the implementation of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) policies and regulations in typical regions including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Guangdong, Ningxia, and Xinjiang, this research found differences in the effectiveness of VOCs governance. The ozone concentrations in some regions showed inflection points while most other regions’ ozone concentrations are still rising. The correlation between ozone concentration and Gross Regional Product (GDP) was analyzed by Pearson Correlation Coefficient method, and the results show that most of the regions’ ozone concentrations are still affected by economic development except for Beijing. Ozone concentration is simultaneously affected by economic volume, environmental condition, VOCs policies and other multidimensional factors. Currently, VOCs abatement is still an effective way to control ozone concentration in China. This research has also proposed solutions to promote systemic, in-depth and fine governance of VOCs.