Late July, Energy Foundation China and the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment jointly held a workshop to identify policy gaps in the field of air quality for the next Five-Year Plan (2021–2015). More than 20 top experts from research institutions supervised by the environmental regulator, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Transport discussed topics including air quality management in energy, transportation, and industry sectors, as well as environmental monitoring and regulation. Their key recommendations were:

China should regularly assess how its air quality standards and evaluation criteria are implemented and promote study of air quality benchmark standards for health purposes.

The country should also make structural changes that feature a strategy to reduce coal and oil consumption, utilize natural gas wisely, and increase renewable energy use.

In the industry sector, China should consume less coal by erasing excessive product capacity, improving energy efficiency, and switching to natural gas and electricity. In the transportation sector, it should put more focus on the Fenhe-Weihe Plains and the Yangtze River Delta, while also encourage freight enterprises to upgrade their transportation modes through financial incentives.

Regarding monitory and regulatory issues, experts believe China sould encourage the application of low-cost sensors, satellite remote sensing, and on-board diagnostics technologies to help establish an efficient and intelligent monitoring system.

For the next step, Energy Foundation China is working with the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office to analyze the recommendations and provide more technical support for the 14th Five Year Plan.