China to tackle green trade barriers through efficient measures as a part of its objective of achieving carbon neutrality.
China is set to implement effective measures to tackle green trade barriers as part of its journey toward carbon neutrality, according to the Government Work Report presented at the opening of the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress on Wednesday.
Green trade barriers typically consist of regulations or restrictions placed on imported goods to ensure they meet specific environmental standards.
The report reaffirmed China’s commitment to reaching its climate goals, peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, through targeted strategies.
To advance these objectives, China will extend its pilot programs for carbon emission peaking, establish zero-carbon industrial parks and factories, and develop a framework to regulate both the total volume and intensity of carbon emissions. The national carbon trading market will also be expanded to include more industries.
Further efforts will focus on building large-scale renewable energy bases in desert and arid regions, promoting offshore wind power, and improving the integration of renewable energy into local grids while expanding transmission networks.
The report also outlined China’s approach to addressing green trade barriers, including the introduction of carbon emissions accounting, a carbon footprint management system, and a framework for carbon labeling and certification.
According to Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing, green trade barriers differ from traditional trade restrictions because they align with global initiatives to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. He emphasized that China must address these barriers effectively.
Ma highlighted that major emerging green trade barriers are often tied to managing the carbon footprint of products throughout their life cycles. While some countries have been working on this for decades, China is still catching up.
However, China has made significant strides, with government departments actively engaging in these efforts. In June 2024, a plan was introduced by 15 national government agencies, including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, to develop carbon footprint calculation guidelines. By 2027, China aims to establish national standards for carbon footprint calculations aligned with international norms, covering about 100 key products.
Ma further noted that China’s initiatives to address green trade barriers will not only help upgrade domestic industries but also accelerate their transition toward sustainability.
Progress toward China’s climate goals was evident last year, as reported in the review of the 2024 national socioeconomic development plan and the 2025 draft plan.
In 2023, China added approximately 360 million kilowatts of new power capacity, with over 82% derived from wind and solar energy. By exceeding 1.4 billion kilowatts of installed wind and solar power capacity, China achieved its target six years ahead of schedule.
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