China strives to achieve "double carbon" goal

China on Friday released its 2023 climate change report, offering an assessment of 2023's climate trends and highlighting the latest scientific advances and policies in response to global warming.

Called the "Annual Report on Actions to Address Climate Change (2023): Working Actively and Prudently toward Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality," it was compiled by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

According to the report, China issued at least 120 policies at the national level in energy, power supplies and other industries to promote its goal of emission peaking and carbon neutrality during 2022 and the first three quarters of 2023. The report says that these policies have offered firm and clear support of the development of renewable energy.

The report also emphasizes the role of technologies, especially digitalization and artificial intelligence in climate change response.

During a press conference announcing the report, officials and experts reiterated China's resolve in combating climate change and its commitment to the target of having carbon emissions peak before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060. 

Chen Zhenlin, head of the CMA, pointed out climate change is a common challenge facing mankind.

"[The year] 2023 is very likely to be the warmest year since records began. The nine years from 2015 to 2023 [are] also the nine warmest years on record, and the global average temperature is expected to reach new highs in the next five years," he said.

According to Chen, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in north China experienced rare extreme rainstorms this summer, which had a great impact on people's lives and property. He said that climate change is intertwined with issues such as population, food, resources, environment and development, and the challenges are becoming increasingly severe.

Chen said that the CMA will work to offer scientific support and authoritative information for the nation's policy-making in order to better respond to extreme weather and other climate change impacts.

Wang Changlin, CASS vice president, said in speech that actively promoting carbon peak and carbon neutrality requires a correct understanding of the global trend in the transformation into a green and low-carbon world.

Statistics show with total installed generation capacity of renewable energy reaching 1,213 gigawatts in 2022, China has become a global leader in utilizing green and low-carbon energy sources.

In addition, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP dropped by more than 51 percent in 2022 from its 2005 level.

The country has ranked first in the world for eight consecutive years in production and sales of new energy vehicles. By the end of June this year, the number of new energy vehicles nationwide reached 16.2 million.

At the same time, China is actively promoting international cooperation on addressing climate challenges and has been deeply engaged in South-South cooperation.

(Cover image via VCG)