On August 11, China unveiled comprehensive guidelines aimed at accelerating the nation’s green transition across all facets of economic and social development. Jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council, these guidelines represent China’s first systematic national approach to achieving a sustainable future.
By 2030, the guidelines project that China will achieve “remarkable results” in its green transition, with the energy conservation and environmental protection industry expected to reach a scale of approximately $2.1 trillion. Looking further ahead to 2035, the nation aims to establish a green, low-carbon, and circular ecosystem, bringing the vision of a “beautiful China” closer to reality.
To realize these ambitious goals, China plans to vigorously promote green and low-carbon transitions across various sectors, including energy, manufacturing, and transportation, impacting both urban and rural communities.
Under the new guidelines, China aims to increase the share of non-fossil energy to approximately 25% of total energy consumption by 2030. Additionally, it seeks to reduce the carbon emission intensity of commercial transport per unit of turnover by about 9.5% compared to 2020 levels. Successfully achieving these targets within the specified timeframe would mark a significant milestone towards a sustainable future, not only for China but for the entire world.
This wouldn’t be the first time China has delivered on its climate commitments. At the general debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping affirmed China’s dedication to its climate goals, stating, “China will scale up its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions by adopting more vigorous policies and measures. We aim to have carbon dioxide emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.”
Since then, China has embarked on an enhanced and concerted national agenda to bolster renewable energy capacities in its energy generation mix, while promoting green and low-carbon transitions in industrial structures and key sectors such as transportation. These efforts have not only yielded concrete results domestically but have also injected strong impetus into global green development and low-carbon transitions.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), China is the world’s leading renewables powerhouse, accounting for nearly 60% of new renewable energy capacity expected to become operational by 2028. IEA forecasts indicate that China is on track to achieve its national 2030 targets for solar and wind installations by the end of 2024—six years ahead of schedule.
Data released last December by the National Energy Administration shows that China’s renewable energy capacity—including solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass—surpassed thermal power for the first time, accounting for more than 50% of the country’s installed power generation capacity.
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Green transition plan shows China's commitment to low-carbon goals
cgtn.com
