SHANGHAI - Shanghai will spend 10.3 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) on air pollution reduction over the next three years, local environmental protection authorities said Wednesday.

The amount represents a 40-percent increase over the amount spent over the last three years combined, the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection said in a statement.

Shanghai will also begin using the PM2.5 air quality standard in June, a much stricter standard than the PM10 standard currently in place. The PM2.5 standard applies to fine particles that are believed to pose greater health risks than larger particles.

Local environmental protection authorities will help coal-fired power plants cut emissions and help coal-fired boilers find clean energy sources, the statement said.

In addition, the city will implement the tighter National 5 vehicle emission standard, equivalent to the Euro 5 emission standard applied to passenger and light vehicles in EU member countries, in 2013 or 2014, it said.

Beijing led other cities nationwide in releasing PM2.5 readings in January following public outcry over the inaccuracy of PM10 readings.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has made PM2.5 monitoring compulsory in its new air quality standard, which is expected to be unveiled soon.