Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu gives an interview after the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Jinhai)

China's PM2.5 density, a key indicator of air pollution, fell 57 percent during the past 10 years, said Huang Runqiu, minister of ecology and environment, on Sunday.

China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP declined by 34.4 percent from 2012 to 2021, Huang told journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing "two sessions."

In 2022, the PM2.5 density dropped 3.3 percent year on year to 29 micrograms per cubic meter, data from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment showed.

China will step up its efforts on pollution prevention and control in 2023, according to the minister.