SCIO Briefing on environment protection in 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020)
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E-mail China.org.cn, October 23, 2020
China Daily:
During the general debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, General Secretary Xi Jinping announced China aims to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. What efforts has China made to address climate change during the 13th Five-Year Plan period? What progress has been made? What's the plan from now to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's requirements on achieving the carbon emission target? In addition, how is the preparatory work proceeding for the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity? What expectations does China have for the event? Thank you.
Zhao Yingmin:
General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward China's new target and vision for carbon emission at the general debate of the 75th session of the U.N. General Assembly, drawing wide attention and winning extensive praise internationally. China has implemented proactive national strategies on climate change, and adopted a series of measures such as adjustments in the structure of industry, improving the energy mix, energy conservation and improvements in efficiency, developing a carbon trading market, and enhancing forest carbon sinks. China has made remarkable progress in addressing the challenges of climate change during the 13th Five-Year Plan period.
First, it has efficiently mitigated greenhouse gas emissions. The carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP continue to decline, and the country has basically stopped the rapid increase in overall carbon dioxide emissions. By the end of 2019, we cut the intensity of carbon emission by 18.2% compared with 2015, meeting the binding objective set in the 13th Five-Year Plan ahead of schedule. The intensity of carbon emission is 48.1% lower than in 2005, and the share of non-fossil fuels in energy consumption has now reached 15.3%. These have met ahead of time the 2020 goals China promised to the world.
Second, China has made steady progress in energy conservation in key sectors. In 2019, the energy consumption per unit of added value of industry amongst enterprises above designated size declined by over 15% from 2015, the energy saved being equivalent to 480 million tons of standard coal. About 400 billion yuan was saved in energy cost. Green buildings account for 60% of newly-built civil buildings in urban areas. By renovating existing urban buildings with energy-saving facilities, we managed to improve building energy efficiency and optimize the living environment, bringing benefits to over 21 million households. Since 2010, China's new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has seen rapid growth, and its sales of NEVs account for 55% of the total amount globally. Currently, China also tops the world in terms of NEVs it holds.
Third, renewable energy has achieved rapid development. Since the beginning of the 13th Five-Year Plan period, installed capacity of renewable energy has been growing 12% annually on average, with its newly installed capacity exceeding 50% of the yearly total. Renewable energy has also seen steady increase in its share in China's total installed capacity, and has become an important factor in the country's energy transition and the main contributor to meeting future power needs. New energy represented by wind power and solar energy is growing rapidly, becoming key sources of renewable energy. As of 2019, installed capacity of new energy accounted for 55.2% of the total installed capacity of renewable energy. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydropower have both achieved steady development. By the end of last year, the installed capacity of hydropower accounted for 44.8% of the national installed capacity of renewable energy.
Fourth, China has made steady progress in proactively adapting to climate change. We have strengthened efforts in providing guidance to related sectors, carrying out trials in 28 cities to develop their climate resilience, as well as in 81 cities from six provinces to encourage low-carbon growth. The government has placed great emphasis on coordination between the adaptation to climate change and the conservation of ecology and environment. We have completed nationwide institutional reform and functional adjustment regarding adapting to climate change.
Fifth, China has actively participated in global climate governance. We adhere to multilateralism and contributed to the conclusion of a package of implementing guidelines for the Paris Agreement. China has been working with other countries to implement the Belt and Road South-South Cooperation Initiative on Climate Change. We help other developing countries to build their capacity in adapting to climate change. The announcement made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on Sept. 22 demonstrates China's strategic focus on resolutely adopting a green and low carbon approach. It also shows that China, as a responsible major country, will resolutely adhere to multilateralism and actively work to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. This is greatly boosting confidence in the international community to jointly implement the Paris Agreement and promote green recovery of the world economy in the post-pandemic era. This also represents China's new efforts and contributions to adapting to global climate change, and provides significant political and market growth drivers for promoting sustainable and resilient economic recovery after the pandemic.
Looking ahead, we will continue to strategically focus on ecological conservation, working to deliver China's new Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and goal of carbon neutrality with greater determination and efforts. First, China will resolutely implement proactive national strategies on climate change, comprehensively strengthen efforts to adapt to climate change and work to establish an economic structure that facilitates green, low-carbon, and circular development. Second, China will take effective measures to control the consumption of fossil fuels. Greater efforts will be made to develop non-fossil fuels and carry out green and low-carbon campaigns in key sectors. China will accelerate its efforts to promote a green and low-carbon way of production and life, carry out campaigns for carbon dioxide emissions to peak and then decline, and establish a national market for trading carbon emission rights. China will promote green and low-carbon technological innovation, and effectively improve its climate governance capacity, so as to make greater contributions to the global efforts in addressing climate change.
In regard to the COP15 to the Convention on Biological Diversity that you mentioned, relevant preparations are proceeding, and we are negotiating with the countries involved. The preparatory work is making smooth headway. That's all. Thank you.
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