The Chinese government issued an action plan for the continuous improvement of air quality. Under the plan, China should boost the development of new energy and clean energy, while strictly and reasonably controlling coal consumption and prohibiting new steel capacity. By 2025, it is expected that electricity should account for around 30% of total energy end-use consumption, and non-fossil energy consumption should reach around 20%, according to the action plan. It was released following the conclusion of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, during which China’s role in global climate governance was highlighted. The country will also impose caps on coal consumption while ensuring energy supply security.
It is expected that by 2025, coal consumption in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and neighboring areas as well as in the Yangtze River Delta will drop by 10% and 5% compared with that of 2020, respectively, while coal consumption in the Fenwei Plain regions in Central China should show negative growth. In addition to a ban on building new steel factories, Chinese authorities will also resolutely curb the blind launch of high-energy-consuming, high-emission, and low-level projects under the plan. By 2025, the plan also aims to reduce PM 2.5 concentrations in Chinese cities at and above the prefectural level by 10% from 2020, and the annual ratio of days with heavy pollution and above should be within 1%. Emissions of nitric oxide and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) should also be reduced by 10% from 2020.
The plan marks another effort by China to fulfill its promise of carbon peaking and neutrality. China has committed to a “dual carbon” goal of reaching the peak of carbon emissions by 2030 and attaining carbon neutrality by 2060. China's actions to address climate change have not only promoted the country's green and low-carbon development, but also made important contributions to addressing global climate change, the Global Times reports.
