The State Council, China's cabinet, released an action plan on Oct 26 for reaching carbon dioxide peak before 2030.

According to the plan, the consumption ratio of non-fossil energy will reach 20 percent of the total in 2025, with energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP down 13.5 and 18 percent compared with that of 2020.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the nation will basically establish a policy system to support green, low-carbon and circular development. By 2030, the consumption ratio of non-fossil energy will account for 25 percent of the total and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will be reduced by more than 65 percent compared with 2005.

To achieve peak carbon emissions, China will take actions in green energy transformation, energy conservation, reduce emissions in transportation, industry, urban and rural construction and support the circular economy and low-carbon technologies.

In terms of green energy transformation, the nation will step up the replacement and upgrade of coal consumption, develop new energies, tap the potential of hydroelectricity and nuclear power, control consumption of fuel and gas and accelerate construction of a new electricity system.

By 2030, the total installed capacity of wind and solar power will be above 1.2 billion kW.

Overall management in energy conservation will be improved and work will be done to implement key carbon reduction projects, improve the efficiency of energy-consuming equipment and enhance energy saving in new infrastructures.

China will peak carbon emissions in industry in the first place, the plan said. To that end, green and low-carbon development will be promoted in industry and efforts will be made to hit peak emissions in the steel, nonferrous metal, building material and chemical sectors.

To promote green, low-carbon transformation of urban and rural construction, efforts will be made to elevate energy efficiency of buildings, optimize their energy consumption structure and boost low-carbon transformation in rural construction and use of energy.

Low-carbon transformation in transportation equipment is also stressed in the circular, which called for establishing a green, efficient transportation system and building an environmentally friendly transportation infrastructure.

Industrial parks will adopt circular development, enhance comprehensive utilization of bulk solid waste, improve the resource recycling system and push for reduction and reclamation of household waste.

Urging more efforts in application and basic research, the circular called for a batch of cutting-edge, strategic national scientific projects in advancing breakthroughs for low, zero and negative carbon technologies and device development.

Work should be done to consolidate the ecological system’s ability and increase its capacity for carbon sequestration.

Public awareness in environmental and ecological protection will be further raised, with thriftier low-carbon lifestyles promoted. Enterprises should also fulfill their social responsibilities in reducing emissions, the circular said.