Li Junfeng: China should start deploying some regions to take the lead in entering carbon neutrality

Beijing, May 18 (China News Service) -- Li Junfeng, the first director of China's National Center for Climate Change Strategy Research and International Cooperation and director of the Academic Committee, pointed out at the "Energy China" forum of the China News Agency on the 18th that in fact, many parts of China can already start to talk about carbon neutrality. China should begin to deploy some regions to take the lead in entering carbon neutrality and accumulate experience for the future carbon neutrality of the whole country.

Li Junfeng said that the "14th Five-Year Plan" (2021-2025) is the window period and critical period for achieving carbon peaking, during which 70%-75% of China's regional carbon emissions can reach the peak, so as to successfully achieve the peaking target in 2030.

China has previously made it clear that it will strive to reach the peak of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and strive to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Li Junfeng believes that to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, we must have a global concept and a sense of urgency. The national peak by 2030 means that at least most of the eastern regions, such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong and other provinces, will reach the peak during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period.

He pointed out that in fact, in terms of energy consumption growth, most of China's provinces have already seen an inflection point. China's economic growth is now completely different from that of the 1980s and 1990s, or even at the beginning of this century. What used to be across-the-board growth is now driven by one or two projects. Therefore, all localities should make an accurate forecast of how to grasp the pace of development and whether energy consumption will grow or not.

Li Junfeng pointed out that there is now a "peak phobia" in some places, afraid that the current carbon emissions have not really reached the peak, "once the future growth, what to do?" "In fact, reaching the peak is only an inflection point, and then there may be some fluctuations, including small growth, decline, etc., and then slowly pass through a platform period, and this inflection point has appeared, Li Junfeng said."

After carbon peaks, how to move towards carbon neutrality? Li Junfeng said that in fact, for many places in China, including Hainan Province and Shenzhen City, they can already start talking about carbon neutrality. Although there are still 40 years to achieve carbon neutrality, if Zhejiang, Guangdong, Hainan and other places do not take the lead in achieving carbon neutrality in 2040 or 2050, the whole country will not be able to achieve carbon neutrality in 2060.

Therefore, Li Junfeng pointed out that when doing energy research, energy development, energy planning, and energy transformation, it is necessary to start deploying some regions to take the lead in entering carbon neutrality. Through the experience of these regions, find a path to achieve carbon neutrality and accumulate experience for the future carbon neutrality of the whole country. Among them, it also includes central enterprises and large enterprises to take the lead in exploring the road of transformation. (End)

Source: China News Network