Photo @Daniel Moqvist on Unsplash

To help China peak its carbon emissions at the lowest level and earliest timeframe possible, NRDC and the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP) of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment are collaborating to develop a total carbon emissions control system and a phased implementation plan for China’s 14th Five Year Plan and 15th Five Year Plan periods. To ensure a useful and usable research product, key industry experts were invited to provide input on the research framework design at the project launch seminar held on August 24th. CAEP researchers shared their initial research plan regarding total carbon emissions control models, target setting, and roadmap design. Experts from academia, think tanks, and local governments discussed definitions of carbon peaking and neutrality, and their expectations on the carbon emission system for the different phases. CAEP will refine their research plan based on their comments and develop a final report that answers:1) why a total carbon emissions control system is urgently needed, 2) what the system should be, and 3) how to construct it. The project report is planned to be released in the spring of 2022.