The first batch of pilot projects for national carbon peaking has been settled in 15 provinces and autonomous regions to explore diversified green and low-carbon transformation paths
The national carbon peak pilot construction plan was released, and the first batch of carbon peak pilot construction was carried out in 15 provinces and autonomous regions, with a total of 35 pilot places.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued the "National Carbon Peak Pilot Construction Plan" (Fa Gai Huan Zi [2023] No. 1409, hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), proposing to select 100 typical representative cities and parks across the country to carry out carbon peak pilot construction, focusing on breaking the bottlenecks and constraints faced by green and low-carbon development, exploring carbon peak paths for cities and parks with different resource endowments and development foundations, and providing operable, replicable and scalable experience and practices for the whole country.
According to the plan, there will be a total of 35 national carbon peak pilot places in the first batch, and carbon peak pilot construction will be carried out in 15 provinces and autonomous regions including Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Shaanxi and Xinjiang.
Li Zhong, deputy director of the Energy Research Institute of the China Academy of Macroeconomics, said that at a time when green and low-carbon transformation and development and reform are gradually entering the "deep water area", through pilot demonstrations, efforts are made to stimulate new momentum for green and low-carbon development, and to stimulate new vitality in reform and practice, which is an important measure to implement the overall deployment of the national carbon peak and carbon neutrality work, which will help forge new competitive advantages in the industry, cultivate new quality productivity, and promote high standards to achieve the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
Cities and parks are the main battlefield for carbon peaking
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said that the energy structure, resource endowment and development stage of each region are different, and the promotion of carbon peak and carbon neutrality is also facing different difficulties and challenges. Although 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government have formulated implementation plans for carbon peaking in their regions, there is still a lot of work that needs to be further refined and explored at the city and park level. The construction of pilot cities and parks for carbon peaking can effectively stimulate the initiative and creativity of cities and parks, explore green and low-carbon transformation, provide effective experience and practices for the whole country, and help achieve the "dual carbon" goal.
According to Li Zhong's analysis, cities and parks are the main carriers of population and economic activities, and they are also the areas with the highest concentration of energy consumption, pollutants and carbon dioxide emissions. In 2022, the urbanization rate of China's permanent population will exceed 65%, and the urban population will reach 921 million, with urban energy consumption and carbon emissions accounting for a high proportion of the country. With the in-depth promotion of China's new industrialization and new urbanization, the position of cities and parks in China's economic growth, energy consumption and carbon emission pattern will become more prominent, and they will be the main battlefield of China's carbon peak and carbon neutrality work.
The plan puts forward four working principles: "adhere to active and prudent, adhere to local conditions, adhere to reform and innovation, and adhere to safe carbon reduction", as well as the main goals for 2025 and 2030. By 2025, the policy mechanism conducive to green and low-carbon development within the pilot scope will be basically established, a number of operable, replicable and scalable innovative measures and reform experience will be initially formed, and the carbon peak paths of cities and parks with different resource endowments, different development bases and different industrial structures will be basically clear.
By 2030, key tasks, major projects and important reforms in pilot cities and parks will be completed as scheduled, and policy mechanisms conducive to green and low-carbon development will be fully established.
The plan particularly emphasizes that focusing on the key areas and key links of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, focusing on exploring effective practices, typical experiences, policy mechanisms and carbon peak paths in different regions, respecting objective laws, scientifically grasping the rhythm, and not simply measuring the effectiveness of work by the time of peak or peak time.
Zhu Liyang, president of the China Association of Circular Economy, said that the carbon peak pilot is not simply based on the peak sooner or later or the peak level to "talk about heroes", but to accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, and encourage local governments to explore the optimal path of their own green and low-carbon development based on factors such as resource endowment, industrial structure, location advantages, and development positioning in the region.
Implement a number of key projects
《方案》指出，试点城市和园区要结合试点目标，在能源基础设施、节能降碳改造、先进技术示范、环境基础设施、资源循环利用、生态保护修复等领域规划Implement a number of key projects，形成对试点城市和园区碳达峰碳中和工作的有力支撑。要加强对配套工程建设的各类要素保障，推动重点工程项目有序实施。
Kang Yanbing, deputy director of the National Energy Conservation Center, said that through the layout of a number of green and low-carbon projects with leading technology and outstanding emission reduction effects in the pilot process, and supporting enterprises to carry out energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformations such as clean energy substitution, electrification transformation, and industrial process reengineering, it will help accelerate the optimization of industrial structure, help the industry accelerate the transformation to high-end, intelligent and green, and forge new industrial competitive advantages in the process of promoting the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
The "Plan" is clear and strengthens scientific and technological innovation. Pilot cities and parks should strengthen scientific and technological support and guidance, and support scientific research units, universities, and enterprises to carry out applied basic research and key technology research and development around green and low-carbon. It is necessary to innovate the mechanism for the promotion and application of green and low-carbon technologies, vigorously cultivate green and low-carbon industries, support and guide enterprises to actively apply advanced and applicable green and low-carbon technologies, and strive to form new industrial competitive advantages. It is necessary to strengthen the training, introduction and use of professional talents for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and promote the improvement of the discipline system for carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
Zhang Yingjian, an expert from China International Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd., believes that China is still in the middle of industrialization and urbanization, and there is a strong coupling relationship between economic development and energy consumption and carbon emissions. According to its own industrial characteristics and development needs, the park should vigorously cultivate green and low-carbon industries, guide enterprises to innovate independently, and support enterprises to carry out advanced technology engineering demonstration and industrial application.
The Programme also mentions the development of national action. Pilot cities and parks should focus on strengthening popular science education on ecological civilization for the public and popularizing the basic knowledge of "double carbon". It is necessary to vigorously promote the concept of green and low-carbon life, promote green consumption, and innovate and explore institutional mechanisms such as green travel, stopping waste, and garbage classification. It is necessary to guide enterprises and institutions to strengthen energy and resource conservation, improve the level of green development, and effectively enhance the theoretical level and professional ability of cadres at all levels to promote green and low-carbon development.
