how many posters contribute to local global warming by producing notin but hot air?

Thank you so much for your advises and information.

Just to realize what could cause high air pollution, answer is 60% to 90% coal burning thermic power plants. You can see those thermic power stations everywhere. Other 20% 30% comes from heavy industries use coal such as steel factories or others. Vehicle causes 10%-20% pollution. Of course those percentage can be vary for different cities or countries depends on their energy sources. If a country doesn't use fossil fuel, generally the country doesn't have serious air pollution, maybe only crowded cities at rush hours. When I put everything together, Kunming is a good city to live for my case. Less population, less high buildings comparing with big cities, sunny, less air pollution etc.

I think it is the best way to rent a house for 1 or 2 months to understand more about Kunming.

China is doing positive to reduce air pollution for future but this is a long way to go. Since China has got huge amount coal mines but almost no petrol sources. Now, we can see a lot of battery powered buses in big cities, China is the leader of the World for this side.

@Chengdu1: "answer is 60% to 90% coal burning thermic power plants"

On that note, Yunnan has relatively many waterways which are built with dams to produce electricity. There isn't as much need to burn coal here.

Also houses are not heated here in winter, which does not generate the same seasonal spike in energy production and pollution as in northern provinces.

Of course there isn't much heavy industry here either.

Pollution in general here comes largely from agriculture, and with air pollution even forest fires are a factor, since mountains here have tree cover left, and in places increasing.

Thanks JanJal. I think what you wrote is true.

Remember that all your arguments are still very general.

Your life in KM will greatly depend on your personal attitude to pollution and related circumstances.
You spend 1/3 of your day in your bedroom, keep that room oxygenated yet free from PM's.
Will you cycle, scooter in the traffic? Wear a properly fitted mouth mask. If you drive, it's inside the car where you will develop your lungs' cancer, sort of like you were smoking (and that's kinda fair).
If you work in a shared office with Chinese, you will have to cope with constantly open windows, no matter the season and the temperature. At rush hour their noses cannot smell the smog coming inside, no matter whether they had been living in Tiger leaping gorge till the day before. So you will have very little power to change that environment.

And of course where your flat is going to be located makes an awful lot of a difference, no matter the AQI index of your neighborhood station. In fact, by moving an AQ meter in different rooms, you will notice the difference (properly insulated windows are more important than air purifiers)

Good luck with your choice!

ODJ18: You got the right idea, come and hang out and see for yourselves. Some people's major problems are other people's minor problems, and vice versa.
Alternatives to Dali in Yunnan might include Jinghong, although for my money it's becoming overdevelopped for tourism and is a bit dull now.

I live in Dali and think it is a wonderful place to raise a family. The only serious drawback is there is no real work here, but if you have your own business or work from home, that's not a problem. There is a great community of sophisticated Chinese from big cities and foreigners here.