The emission of four major pollutants reduced by a year-on-year 2 percent in 2012, said China's Minister of Environment Zhou Shengxian Thursday.
Zhou made the statement at a national meeting held here.
Major pollutants include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen.
Zhou promised to press for including PM2.5, air-borne particles 2.5 microns or less in diameter, in the country's major pollutant monitoring and measuring system.