By exceeding its commitment, China has made remarkable progress in mitigating climate change

Source: China Environment News

◆ Xu Huaqing, Ma Cuimei, Zhang Beiyang

 Recently, the Fourth National Communication of the People's Republic of China on Climate Change and the Third Biennial Update Report of the People's Republic of China on Climate Change were officially submitted to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The two reports comprehensively and accurately briefed the international community on China's new progress in implementing its climate change commitments by 2020, and reported on China's policy actions and achievements in addressing climate change. Since the "13th Five-Year Plan", China has made contributions and achievements in accelerating the adjustment and optimization of the energy structure, comprehensively promoting the low-carbon transformation of industry, promoting the green and low-carbon development of the construction field, building a low-carbon transportation system, and consolidating and enhancing the carbon sink of the ecosystem.

It has exceeded the targets of appropriate national mitigation actions announced by the international community and handed over an excellent compliance record to the world

As the largest developing country in the world, China has won the battle against poverty, completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule and achieved the first centenary Goal, while exceeding the national mitigation targets announced to the international community.

In 2009, China announced to the international community that "by 2020, the carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP will be reduced by 40 to 45 percent from the 2005 level, non-fossil energy will account for about 15 percent of primary energy consumption, the forest area will be increased by 40 million hectares over the 2005 level. An increase of 1.3 billion cubic metres of forest stock over 2005 "as appropriate national mitigation action target. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China implemented a series of policies and actions through legal, administrative, market, technological and other means, comprehensively exceeded all emission reduction commitments, and delivered an excellent performance to the world. According to the calculation and analysis, China has achieved the following major achievements in controlling greenhouse gas emissions:

Carbon intensity has dropped significantly. From 2015 to 2020, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP dropped by about 18.8 percent, exceeding the target set in the 13th Five-Year Plan. By 2020, the figure will be 48.4% lower than that of 2005, exceeding the target of "40% to 45% lower than that of 2005 by 2020" announced by China to the international community in 2009.

The energy mix continued to adjust. In 2020, the proportion of non-fossil energy in total energy consumption will be 15.9%, 3.9 percentage points higher than in 2015, exceeding the target of the 13th Five-Year Plan and the target of "about 15% of non-fossil energy" proposed in 2009 by 2020.

Forest carbon sinks continue to increase. Forest stock exceeded 17.5 billion cubic meters, exceeding the target of the 13th Five-Year Plan and the 2020 target of forest stock increase proposed in 2009.

We will vigorously develop non-fossil energy, continuously optimize the energy mix, and steadily advance low-carbon transition

During the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, China vigorously developed non-fossil energy, promoted the clean and efficient use of fossil energy, promoted the low-carbon end use of energy, continued to optimize the energy structure, and steadily advanced the low-carbon transition, making outstanding contributions to the global energy green and low-carbon transition.

China continues to accelerate the adjustment of its energy structure and build a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system. In 2020, the proportion of coal consumption in China's primary energy consumption will fall to 56.8 percent, 15.6 percentage points lower than in 2005, and the average annual decline will be more than 1 percentage point. Non-fossil energy power generation accounted for 44.7% of China's installed power generation capacity, with a total scale of 980 million kilowatts, generating 2.6 trillion kilowatt-hours, and accounting for 33.3% of the total electricity consumption in society. Among them, the installed capacity of hydropower reached 370 million kilowatts (including 31.49 million kilowatts of pumped storage). The installed capacity of wind power and photovoltaic power generation reached 280 million kilowatts and 250 million kilowatts, respectively, ranking first in the world for 11 consecutive years and 6 years. By the end of 2022, the installed capacity of renewable energy reached 1.213 billion kilowatts, accounting for 47.3 percent of China's total installed power generation capacity, and the installed capacity of hydropower, wind power, solar power, biomass power and nuclear power under construction ranked first in the world.

China is the world's largest renewable energy market and equipment manufacturing country, wind power, photovoltaic power generation equipment manufacturing has formed the world's most complete industrial chain, photovoltaic industry for the global market supply more than 70% of the components. The wide application of renewable energy in the Chinese market has effectively promoted and accelerated the reduction of the cost of renewable energy, further promoted the development and utilization of renewable energy in countries around the world, and accelerated the process of global energy green transition.

We will make comprehensive efforts in key areas, continue to promote green and low-carbon development in the construction sector, and actively build a low-carbon transportation system

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China has continuously improved the energy efficiency of buildings, promoted clean heating in northern China, and carried out pilot demonstrations of green rural housing construction. By the end of 2020, the proportion of newly built green buildings in cities and towns that year had reached 77 percent, and energy-efficient buildings accounted for more than 63 percent of urban civil construction area. In northern China, the use of natural gas, electricity, geothermal, biomass, solar energy and other clean heating rate exceeds 60% in winter. In 2022, the proportion of new green building area will further increase to 91.2%, and energy-saving buildings will account for more than 65%.

China continues to strengthen energy conservation in transportation, promote the application of new energy in the field of transportation, and promote the adjustment of transportation structure. During the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, the new energy automobile industry has grown rapidly, and the production and sales scale rank first in the world. By the end of 2020, the number of public trams in new energy cities nationwide will reach 466,000, and the number of new energy rental cars nationwide will reach 132,400. The main coastal ports of coal terminals have all been transferred by rail or water transport, port container iron and water transport has grown rapidly, and the proportion of ore by rail, water transport and belt conveyor has reached 61.3%, an increase of nearly 20 percentage points over 2017. China's new energy vehicle production and sales have ranked first in the world for many consecutive years, and as of September 2023, the number of vehicles has exceeded 18 million, accounting for more than half of the world.

Continue to improve the quality and stability of the ecosystem, and steadily improve the capacity and level of carbon sequestration and sink of the ecosystem

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China has pursued green development, coordinated the formulation of territorial and spatial plans, strictly observed the red line of ecological protection, carried out major ecological protection and restoration projects, and strengthened the protection of forest resources. A total of 545 million mu of forest has been planted, 637 million mu of forest has been cultivated, the forest coverage rate has increased to 23.04 percent, and the forest stock has exceeded 17.5 billion cubic meters, maintaining "double growth" for 30 consecutive years, and strengthening the protection of natural resources in all aspects. We will strictly protect and rationally utilize all types of natural resources, comprehensively strengthen fire prevention in forests and grasslands, and organize the prevention and control of diseases and insect pests. Compared with 2015, the number of forest fires in China in 2020 has decreased by 61 percent, and the area under forest disease control has increased by 143 percent.

 China is making strenuous efforts to achieve this goal. Its previous climate change compliance and a series of mitigation efforts and achievements have shown the world that China has become an important participant, contributor and leader in the global climate governance process.

In the face of the severe challenge of the global climate crisis, China will, as always, honor its commitment to addressing global climate change, provide Chinese wisdom and strength to promote global climate governance, demonstrate its responsibility as a responsible major country, step up efforts to address climate change with the greatest determination, and continue to make greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Author's institution: National Center for Climate Change Strategy Research and International Cooperation

(Managing Editor: Wei Jinjin)