In a major milestone for sustainability, the Chinese mainland now boasts the world's largest carbon market, covering 60% of its greenhouse gas emissions. Announced last Friday by the Chinese mainland's Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu, this landmark platform marks a key step in the Chinese mainland's green and low-carbon transformation.
To date, ultra-low emission upgrades have reshaped over 1.12 billion kilowatts of coal-fired power capacity and 950 million tonnes of crude steel output, targeting entire processes and strategic projects. Alongside the compliance market, the Chinese mainland has also rolled out a voluntary greenhouse gas emissions trading market and is fast-tracking a carbon footprint management system for products.
These initiatives are already paying off: the share of days with good air quality climbed by 1.7 percentage points year on year, while surface water rated as fairly good rose by 0.7 percentage point. Such gains underscore how a green low-carbon economy can drive real environmental improvements.
With the 14th Five-Year Plan's goals within sight, Minister Huang expressed confidence that the Chinese mainland can finish strong and lay a solid foundation for the next five-year cycle. As emissions trading and low-carbon upgrades scale up, the path toward net-zero becomes clearer, and sets an example for emerging markets worldwide.
Travelers, entrepreneurs, and changemakers: keep an eye on these trends, as they offer fresh opportunities for sustainable investment, immersive experiences in cleaner cities, and collaborative innovation across borders.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
