China Charts Green Course Toward Carbon Neutrality – 中国科技网

Report on China’s Contributions to Sustainable Development Goals through Carbon Neutrality Initiatives

Advancing Climate Action and Clean Energy (SDG 13 & SDG 7)

A white paper issued by the State Council Information Office, “Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality: China’s Plans and Solutions,” details a national strategy to achieve a green transition, directly contributing to global climate action and the provision of affordable and clean energy. Key achievements and strategies include:

• Establishment of a comprehensive carbon reduction policy framework, positioning carbon peaking and neutrality as a core national strategy.
• Prioritization of a green energy transition to reduce emissions from energy consumption, the primary source of carbon emissions.
• Vigorous measures to substitute fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, supporting the development of a new energy and power system.
• Development of the world’s largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, making a substantial contribution to global sustainable development.

Fostering Sustainable Industry, Infrastructure, and Consumption (SDG 9, SDG 11, & SDG 12)

China has integrated its dual carbon targets into its overall socioeconomic development plan, accelerating the green transformation of key sectors and promoting responsible production and consumption patterns.

1. Industry and Innovation: The nation is promoting innovation in both traditional and emerging industries, upgrading its industrial structure, and fostering the growth of green and low-carbon sectors. Priority has been given to research and development, leading to breakthroughs in renewable energy, energy storage, and smart grid technologies.
2. Sustainable Infrastructure: The development of low-carbon transport vehicles and equipment has been accelerated. The overall transport structure is being optimized through the green upgrading of infrastructure, including the construction of green highways, airways, and waterways, and the smart development of new stations, airports, and ports.
3. Responsible Consumption and Production: Significant progress has been made in energy conservation and efficiency. During the first four years of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped by 11.6 percent. Concurrently, tailored waste management policies have advanced the circular economy by promoting the standardized and large-scale recycling of renewable resources.

Enhancing Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biodiversity (SDG 15)

Efforts to enhance the carbon sink capacity of ecosystems have been strengthened through integrated conservation and restoration initiatives, aligning with the goal of protecting life on land.

• China has contributed approximately one-fourth of the world’s newly added green areas.
• Integrated conservation of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts has been systematically strengthened.
• The nation is the first country to achieve zero net land degradation, with both its desertified and sandified areas shrinking.

Strengthening Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development (SDG 17)

The white paper underscores China’s commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation to address the global challenge of climate change.

• China has actively pushed for the signing and implementation of the Paris Agreement, upholding the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• The nation is advancing high-quality international cooperation on green and low-carbon development through mechanisms such as the Belt and Road Initiative.
• Financial, technological, and capacity-building support is being offered to other countries of the Global South to aid in their sustainable development efforts.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on China’s green course toward carbon neutrality addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by detailing the country’s comprehensive strategy for environmental protection, economic transition, and international cooperation. The following SDGs are relevant:

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The article emphasizes China’s development of the “largest, fastest-growing renewable energy system” and its efforts to “substitute renewables for fossil fuels.”
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: It discusses the “full-scale green transition of the economy,” “upgrading its industrial structure,” fostering “green and low-carbon sectors,” and developing “low-carbon transport vehicles and equipment.”
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The text mentions the optimization of the “overall transport structure” and the upgrading of “transport infrastructure,” including “green highways, airways and waterways.”
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The article highlights “energy conservation,” the development of a “circular economy,” and “tailored waste management policies” that promote recycling.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: This is the central theme of the article, which focuses on China’s national strategy for “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” and its contributions to “global climate action.”
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The article notes China’s contribution to “one-fourth of the world’s newly added green areas,” its efforts in the “integrated conservation of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts,” and its achievement of “zero net land degradation.”
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The text describes China’s commitment to “multilateralism and cooperation,” its role in the “Paris Agreement,” and its support for other countries through mechanisms like the “Belt and Road Initiative.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the actions and policies described, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article directly supports this by stating China has “developed the largest, fastest-growing renewable energy system” and is taking “vigorous measures to substitute renewables for fossil fuels.”
2. Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. This is addressed by the mention that China “ranks among the countries with the fastest decline in energy consumption intensity.”
3. Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes. The article details the “full-scale green transition of the economy,” “upgrading its industrial structure,” and fostering “green and low-carbon sectors.”
4. Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all. This is reflected in the “development of low-carbon transport vehicles and equipment” and the upgrading of “transport infrastructure” for green development.
5. Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. The article mentions “tailored waste management policies” that have “promoted the standardized and large-scale recycling of renewable resources.”
6. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article explicitly states that “Peaking carbon and carbon neutrality is a national strategy” and that China has incorporated “carbon targets into overall social and economic development.”
7. Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally. This is supported by the claim that China “contributes about one-fourth of the world’s newly added green areas.”
8. Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. The article states that China is the “first country to realize zero net land degradation, and its desertified and sandified areas are both shrinking.”
9. Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources. The article highlights China’s commitment to “multilateralism and cooperation” and its efforts to advance “high-quality international cooperation on green and low-carbon development.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 7.3 (Energy Efficiency): The article provides a specific metric: “energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped by 11.6 percent” during the first four years of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. This directly measures progress on energy intensity.
• Indicator for Target 15.2 (Forests): The contribution of “about one-fourth of the world’s newly added green areas” serves as a quantitative indicator of progress in increasing forest cover.
• Indicator for Target 15.3 (Land Degradation): The statement that China is the “first country to realize zero net land degradation” and that its “desertified and sandified areas are both shrinking” acts as a qualitative and quantitative indicator of progress against desertification.
• Implied Indicator for Target 7.2 (Renewable Energy): The description of China’s renewable energy system as the “largest” and “fastest-growing” implies a significant and increasing share of renewable energy in the country’s total final energy consumption, which is the official indicator (7.2.1).
• Implied Indicator for Target 13.2 (Climate Policy): The establishment of a “comprehensive carbon reduction policy framework” and the national strategy for “Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality” are themselves indicators of the integration of climate change measures into national planning (Indicator 13.2.1).

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: stdaily.com