China's green and low-carbon development makes new strides

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🗞️ Driving the news: China has made significant progress in green and low-carbon development, with its national carbon market now covering 60% of the country’s emissions — the largest such market globally
• At a press briefing, Environment Minister Huang Runqiu highlighted key milestones, including ultra-low emissions upgrades in coal-fired power and steel sectors, and the launch of a voluntary greenhouse gas trading platform to complement the national scheme

🔭 The context: China’s carbon market, first launched in 2021, initially focused on the power sector and is expanding to include other high-emitting industries
• These developments form part of the country’s broader push to achieve carbon peaking before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060
• The improvements come amid implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025), which has placed unprecedented emphasis on ecological restoration and pollution control

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: As the world’s largest emitter, China’s ability to reduce domestic emissions and scale green technologies will heavily influence global climate trajectories
• The expansion of market-based mechanisms, combined with industrial upgrades and carbon footprint tracking, positions China to drive both emissions reductions and international green supply chain standards
• Improvements in air and water quality also underscore the co-benefits of decarbonisation for public health and environmental resilience

⏭️ What's next: China plans to further integrate carbon accounting systems and expand product-level carbon footprint tracking
• With the 14th Five-Year Plan ending in 2025, current progress lays the groundwork for more ambitious environmental and climate targets in the next planning cycle
• International observers will be watching how China links its domestic carbon markets to global efforts and whether enforcement mechanisms keep pace with expansion

💬 One quote: “We are confident in achieving the ecological environment improvement goals set for the 14th Five-Year Plan, and in laying a solid foundation for the next five years.” — Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment

📈 One stat: China’s carbon market now covers 60% of national emissions — the highest coverage of any carbon trading system in the world

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