Strategic Linchpins and Policy Safeguards

Abstract

Policies and Measures for China's Low-Carbon Development Put in Place and Perpetuate a Complete and Comprehensive Policy FrameworkChina has created a policy system for low-carbon development that covers a wide range of sectors. Since the end of last century, the central government has deemed climate change policy as part of its sustainable development policy, in particular as part of its energy reform and economic development policy. Despite a milestone in itself, this approach lacks clarity on the importance of climate change, which results in the absence of clear policies for climate change mitigation and adaptation [1]. Since the 12th Five-Year Plan, more independent policies have emerged in the field of climate change, with setting clear and legally binding targets for curbing carbon intensity for the very first time. A variety of low-carbon pilot projects, carbon trading pilot projects, and MRV capacity building have also been launched. During the 11th Five-Year Plan period, the Chinese government established the first energy conservation policy system with binding targets as the centerpiece and performance assessment as the safeguard, contributing to lower greenhouse gas emissions as well as reduced energy intensity. With some revisions, most of the energy saving policies were kept in the 12th and 13th Five-Year Plans. For instance, energy saving mandates were expanded from the industrial sector to transport and buildings; the provincial breakdown of energy saving targets were more science-based; targets were extended from capping energy intensity at the national level to capping total energy consumption and promoting industry-wide energy saving; and more focus was placed on the role of market forces [2,3]. During the 12th Five-Year Plan period, China set a target for CO 2 intensity for the first time, i.e. a reduction of 17% per 10,000 yuan of GDP, with continued enforcement of the accountability system. The 13th Five-Year Plan