3. Tightening Control over Greenhouse Gas Emissions

China has incorporated climate action into every aspect of its overall strategy for economic and social development. It has taken active steps to control greenhouse gas emissions in key industries, and promote green and low-carbon development in urban and rural construction and the building sector. It has worked to develop a green and low-carbon transport system and reduce non-carbon dioxide emissions. It has taken a coordinated approach to the governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands and deserts, and strictly implemented relevant measures to enhance its biological carbon sink capacity.

Controlling greenhouse gas emissions in key industries. China has: Strengthened the management of targets for energy consumption and carbon emissions in key industries, including the iron & steel, building material, chemical, and non-ferrous metal sectors. Carried out low-carbon demonstration projects and benchmarking campaigns to reduce carbon emissions in those industries. Advanced green manufacturing and the transformation of industries towards green development. Tightened control over greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes through substituting raw materials, improving production techniques, and updating equipment utilization.Increased the recycling and utilization of renewable resources for higher resource utilization efficiency and lower carbon dioxide emissions in the whole life cycle of resources.

Promoting green and low-carbon development in urban and rural construction. China is building energy-saving and low-carbon cities and infrastructure and boosting rural revitalization through green development. It has: Encouraged the construction of eco-friendly buildings and improved relevant assessment standard systems. Carried out demonstration programs for cities with ultra-low and nearly zero energy consumption. Promoted energy-saving renovation of existing buildings and improved the energy efficiency of public buildings. Facilitated the application of renewable energy in the building sector. Taken measures to build green and low-carbon villages and towns, encouraging farmers to build energy-saving houses through energy efficiency demonstration projects during the process of renovating dilapidated rural housing, and accelerating the use of clean energy for winter heating in northern China.

Developing a green and low-carbon transportation system. China has taken the following measures: Adjusted the mix of transport by increasing the proportion of rail and water transport for bulk goods and decreasing that of highway transport. Launched a project to build "model cities of green freight distribution", as part of the efforts to accelerate the establishment of an intensive, efficient, green, and smart urban freight distribution system. Expanded the electrification of railways and promoted the use of natural gas vehicles and vessels, with improved electric charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure to facilitate the use of new energy vehicles (NEVs) and encourage anchored ships and parked civil aircraft to use shore power. Improved institutions and standards for green transportation by launching relevant standards, action plans and solutions. It has published 221 standards on energy-saving and carbon reduction. Encouraged green travel, with more than 100 cities joining the campaign to advocate green travel, and annual nation-wide publicity month for green travel and publicity week for public transit.Accelerated the substitution and optimization of transport fuels and upgraded the standards on transport emissions and oil products. Improved transport efficiency through the application of information technology.

Reducing non-carbon dioxide emissions. China attaches importance to the reduction of non-carbon dioxide emissions, and has introduced specific policies and measures in the National Plan on Climate Change (2014-2020) and the Work Plan for Controlling Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The Chinese government has: Offered subsidies for the handling of HFC-23 since 2014. As of 2019, subsidies worth RMB1.4 billion yuan had been paid, reducing 65,300 tonnes of HFC-23, equivalent to 966 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Stepped up the development of environmentally friendly refrigerants and actively promoted the reuse and harmless treatment of refrigerants, in strict accordance with the Regulations on the Management of Ozone-Depleting Substances and the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer. Supported enterprises to employ air-conditioner production lines using low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants, phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants, and limit the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Set up an alliance of Chinese oil and gas enterprises to advance methane emission control across the industry chain. Accepted the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer, representing a new stage in protecting the ozone layer and addressing climate change in the country.

Enhancing biological carbon sink capacity. China has done the following: Taken a coordinated approach to conserving the mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands and deserts, and carried out large-scale land afforestation. Efforts have continued on key projects, including protecting shelterbelts and natural forests, especially those in northwest, northeast and northern China and along the Yangtze River, conserving chernozem soils in northeast China, building high-quality farmland, protecting and restoring wetlands, returning cropland back to forests and grasslands, restoring grasslands, controlling the sources of dust storms affecting Beijing and Tianjin, and comprehensively addressing desertification and stony desertification. Achieved steady progress in urban and rural greening and improved the carbon sink capacity of forests, grasslands, wetlands and other ecosystems by tending and managing forests in a science-based approach, taking targeted measures to improve the quality of forests, developing biomass energy, strengthening the protection of forest and grassland resources, and increasing their total volume. Developed a PA system composed mainly of national parks and established its first five national parks as part of the efforts to integrate and optimize nature reserves. Introduced an ecological protection and restoration system, formulated relevant plans, and carried out the Blue Bay environmental improvement initiative, the coastal belts protection and restoration project, the comprehensive management of the Bohai Sea region's water environment, and a special action for mangrove conservation and restoration. Carried out ecological restoration of abandoned mines in key areas, such as both sides of the main stream and major tributaries of the Yangtze River, key cities around the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and in the Fenwei Plains, and key regions in the Yellow River basin. Implemented major projects for ecological conservation and restoration in seven key areas, including the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Yellow River, and the Yangtze River. Supported 25 trials to conserve and restore the ecosystems of mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, and grasslands. Issued a series of documents to encourage private capital to participate in ecological conservation and restoration, in an effort to establish a market-based and diversified investment mechanism. China's proposal – Drawing a “Red Line" for Ecological Protection to Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change – has been selected by the UN as one of the 15 best Nature-based Solutions around the globe.