The "Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on the Complete, Accurate and Comprehensive Implementation of the New Development Concept to Do a Good Job in Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality" was released on the 24th. What are the important deployments of the opinions to promote carbon neutrality? A reporter from Xinhua News Agency interviewed the head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Urgent need for top-level design

Q: What is the background of the opinions?

Answer: On September 22, 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping announced at the General Debate of the 75th United Nations General Assembly that China's carbon dioxide emissions will strive to reach the peak before 2030, and strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality is a major strategic decision made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core after careful consideration. It is related to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality is an extensive and profound economic and social systemic change, and it faces unprecedented difficulties and challenges. At present, my country's economic structure is still irrational, industrialization and new-type urbanization are still advancing, economic development and people's livelihood improvement tasks are still heavy, and energy consumption will continue to maintain rigid growth. Compared with developed countries, the time window from carbon peak to carbon neutrality is tight in China. To do a good job of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, it is urgent to strengthen the top-level design. Formulate and issue opinions at the central level, systematically plan and overall deploy the major work of carbon peak carbon neutralization, further clarify the overall requirements, put forward the main goals, deploy major measures, clarify the implementation path, and unify the understanding and will of the whole party. It is of great significance to gather the power of the whole party and the whole country to complete the arduous task of carbon peak and carbon neutrality.

Target arrangements based on the development stage and actual national conditions

Question: What is the main goal of the opinion?

Answer: The opinions put forward five main goals in terms of building a green and low-carbon circular development economic system, improving energy efficiency, increasing the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and improving the carbon sink capacity of the ecosystem.

By 2025, an economic system of green and low-carbon circular development will take shape, and the energy efficiency of key industries will be greatly improved. Energy consumption per unit of GDP will be reduced by 13.5% compared to 2020; carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will be reduced by 18% compared to 2020; the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption will reach about 20%; the forest coverage rate will reach 24.1%, and the forest stock will reach 180 Billion cubic meters, laying a solid foundation for achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality.

By 2030, significant results will be achieved in the overall green transformation of economic and social development, and the energy efficiency of key energy-consuming industries will reach the international advanced level. Energy consumption per unit of GDP has dropped significantly; carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP have dropped by more than 65% from 2005; the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption has reached about 25%, and the total installed capacity of wind power and solar power has reached more than 1.2 billion kilowatts; forest coverage The rate reached about 25%, the forest stock volume reached 19 billion cubic meters, and the carbon dioxide emissions reached the peak and achieved a steady decline.

By 2060, a green and low-carbon circular economic system and a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system will be fully established. The energy use efficiency will reach the international advanced level, the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption will reach over 80%, and the goal of carbon neutrality will be successfully achieved. The construction of civilization has achieved fruitful results, creating a new realm of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

These series of goals, based on my country’s development stage and national conditions, signify that my country will complete the world’s largest reduction in carbon emission intensity and achieve carbon neutrality from the peak of carbon emissions in the shortest time in history. It embodies the greatest ambition and requires effort. Hard work.

31 key tasks in 10 areas, clear road maps and construction drawings

Question: What are the main tasks and major measures proposed by the opinions?

Answer: Achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality is a multi-dimensional, three-dimensional, and systematic project involving all aspects of economic and social development. The opinions adhere to the system concept, put forward 31 key tasks in 10 areas, and clarify the road map and construction drawings for carbon peak carbon neutralization.

The first is to promote the overall green transformation of economic and social development, strengthen the guidance of green and low-carbon development plans, optimize the regional layout of green and low-carbon development, and accelerate the formation of green production and lifestyles.

The second is to deeply adjust the industrial structure, accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of agriculture, industry, and service industries, resolutely curb the blind development of high-energy-consumption and high-emission projects, and vigorously develop green and low-carbon industries.

The third is to accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system, strengthen the dual control of energy consumption intensity and total volume, greatly improve energy utilization efficiency, strictly control fossil energy consumption, actively develop non-fossil energy, and deepen the reform of energy systems and mechanisms.

The fourth is to accelerate the construction of a low-carbon transportation system, optimize the transportation structure, promote energy-saving and low-carbon transportation, and actively guide low-carbon travel.

The fifth is to improve the quality of green and low-carbon development in urban and rural construction, promote the low-carbon transformation of urban and rural construction and management models, vigorously develop energy-saving and low-carbon buildings, and accelerate the optimization of building energy structure.

The sixth is to strengthen the research and promotion of major green and low-carbon technologies, strengthen basic research and the layout of cutting-edge technologies, and accelerate the development and promotion of advanced and applicable technologies.

Seventh, continue to consolidate and improve carbon sink capacity, consolidate ecosystem carbon sink capacity, and increase ecosystem carbon sink growth.

The eighth is to increase the level of green and low-carbon development in opening up to the outside world, accelerate the establishment of a green trading system, promote the construction of a green “Belt and Road”, and strengthen international exchanges and cooperation.

Ninth is to improve laws, regulations, standards and statistical monitoring systems, improve standard measurement systems, and enhance statistical monitoring capabilities.

Ten is to improve the investment, finance, fiscal and taxation, price and other policy systems, and promote the construction of market-oriented mechanisms such as carbon emission rights trading and energy rights trading.

Play a leading role in the "1+N" policy system

Question: What is the position and role of opinions in the carbon peak carbon neutral "1+N" policy system?

Answer: In May of this year, the central level established the Carbon Peak Carbon Neutrality Leading Group as the deliberative and coordinating body for guiding and coordinating the carbon peak carbon neutrality work. The office of the leading group is located in the National Development and Reform Commission. In accordance with the unified deployment, we are accelerating the establishment of a "1+N" policy system and establishing the "four beams and eight pillars" of carbon peak carbon neutralization.

The opinions issued by the Party Central Committee and the State Council, as "1", are long-term management and play a leading role in the carbon peaking, carbon neutral and "1+N" policy system; the opinions will be shared with the carbon peaking action plan by 2030 It constitutes a top-level design that runs through the two stages of carbon peaking and carbon neutralization. "N" includes the implementation plan for carbon peaks in sub-sectors such as energy, industry, transportation, and urban-rural construction, as well as guarantee plans such as technological support, energy security, carbon sink capacity, fiscal and financial price policies, standard measurement systems, and inspection and evaluation. . A series of documents will establish a carbon peak carbon neutral policy system with clear objectives, reasonable division of labor, effective measures, and orderly cohesion.

Ensuring that carbon peaks and carbon neutrality work achieve positive results

Question: How to implement the opinions well?

Answer: Achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality is a tough battle and a big test of the party's ability to govern the country. The next step will be to fully implement the opinions and deployment to ensure that the carbon peak and carbon neutral work achieve positive results.

The first is to accelerate the establishment of a carbon-peak carbon neutral policy system. Guide local governments to scientifically formulate implementation plans for carbon peaking, and encourage all parties to coordinate and orderly do a good job of carbon peaking and carbon neutralization.

The second is to strengthen overall coordination and inspection and assessment. The National Development and Reform Commission will earnestly perform the duties of the Office of the Leading Group for Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality, timely follow up and regularly schedule the progress of work in various regions and fields, and do a good job in the inspection and assessment of the implementation of various goals and tasks.

The third is to organize a pilot demonstration of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Support qualified localities, key industries, and key enterprises to actively explore, form a batch of replicable and extendable effective models, and provide beneficial experience for achieving the national carbon peak and carbon neutral targets as scheduled.