Air pollution refers to a location in the Earth's atmosphere where harmful or excessive amounts of substances including biological molecules, particulate matter, and gases are released. As the Chinese economy accelerated, there was parallel growth in energy consumption. This energy consumption was heavily dependent on coal; and with the increase in population, the growth of vehicles has imposed a heavy burden on the urban atmosphere in China, raising alarm of a serious environmental problem (Kabin he, 2002). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Environmental and Socio-Environmental Impact As coal remained the main energy source, making up 75% of energy sources, China's atmosphere predominantly contained coal smoke, with high ratios of suspended particulate matter (PM) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). This has caused great public health concern outdoors. The World Bank has estimated that the total healthcare cost related to this situation amounts to 520 billion Chinese yuan, equivalent to 3.3% of China's total GDP. This condition has worsened in urban cities due to industrialization. In 2004, the average annual PM10 concentration in urban cities was 140 micrograms per cubic air (compared to the average 70-75). This inadequate air has caused multiple health risks, such as changes in respiratory, lung, immune function, and other clinical symptoms (Haidong Kan, 2009). According to research conducted by CUHK, air pollution has caused 1.1 million premature deaths in China. destroying approximately 20 million tons of wheat, soybeans, rice and corn (Kao, 2018). SolutionCurrently, the above situation in China is improving, and potential future technological changes can bring significant improvements in air quality, resulting in improved public health conditions. These improvements will come as the country transitions from business-as-usual (BAU) to advanced coal gasification technologies (ACGT). This will essentially reduce carbon emissions into the air, resulting in better air quality (Xiaoping Wang, 2006).