China expedites carbon emission controls to hit 2030 goals

According to the cabinet on Friday, China will speed up creating a carbon emissions control system to meet its 2030 peak emissions goal. Currently, Beijing’s energy policies are linked to economic growth, focusing on energy and emissions per unit of output, aligning with China Carbon emission 2030 targets.

"China is setting for the first time a hard emissions cap, which will start to guide emissions reduction after 2030," said Yao Zhe, global policy advisor for Greenpeace East Asia in Beijing.

"China is now gradually extricating emissions reductions from economic growth," Yao said.

The plan aims to enhance the carbon emissions tracking system by 2025, targeting key industries like power, steel, and petrochemicals to meet the China Carbon emission 2030 goal.

According to the State Council, carbon emissions quotas will be included in national development plans, and energy conservation assessments for investment projects will need to consider these emissions as part of China’s Carbon emission 2030 strategy.

The State Council's work plan introduces a "dual-control" system for 2026-2030. Initially, emissions intensity will be the main focus, with total emissions controls added to meet the China Carbon emission 2030 objectives.

After this period, the emphasis will shift primarily to controlling total emissions.