The Chinese mainland is stepping up its game in the fight against climate change! On Sunday, the Communist Party Central Committee and the State Council introduced a set of groundbreaking guidelines aimed at accelerating green transition across all facets of economic and social development. This marks the country's first systematic deployment of its green and low-carbon goals, according to reports from Xinhua.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Chinese mainland has achieved historic milestones in eco-environmental protection and green growth. Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP have dropped by over 35% compared to 2012, as reported by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. Additionally, renewable energy capacity surpassed thermal generation for the first time in December last year, now accounting for more than half of the installed power generation capacity.
However, the journey isn't without its hurdles. China's energy structure remains heavily skewed towards coal, the share of fossil energy and traditional industries is still high, and the foundation for enhanced ecological and environmental quality needs strengthening.
In light of these challenges, new state-level guidelines have set quantitative work goals and a series of tasks that are crucial for meeting China's carbon emission targets. These guidelines aim to promote a green transition of the development model and realize high-quality growth, says Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs.
\"The guidelines have not only updated and expanded China's previous policy system of green and low-carbon development, but also made comprehensive and systematic deployments of the new challenges China is facing in its pursuit of green growth,\" explains Yu Xiang, director of the Climate Change Economics Research Office at the Research Institute for Eco-civilization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He adds that these documents will further promote a comprehensive green transition in all economic and social sectors.
With these new guidelines, the Chinese mainland is setting a clear path towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.
