Plans unveiled for emission control across 18 Chinese regions

18 regions across China have hammered out their working plans on synergizing the emission control of traditional air pollutants and heat-trapping gases, said Zhao Yingmin, vice-minister of ecology and environment. 

Zhao, also the head of Chinese delegation to the COP28 United Nations climate change conference, made the remarks in an event held in the China pavilion on the sidelines of the annual UN gathering in Dubai, UAE on Sunday.

The climate conference started on Thursday and is scheduled to last until Dec 12.

Like other developing countries, China is still in its industrialization process as it forges ahead with climate targets, he said. This means that China is confronted with pressure not only from traditional pollutant control, but also from curbing carbon emissions.

To plan and carry out the work on reducing pollutants and carbon emissions in tandem is a viable solution for China and other developing nations to decrease costs but enhance efficiency in the work, he noted.

China has managed to keep high economic growth while seeing continuous decreases in carbon intensity - carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP, he said.

He said the country has registered a decrease of 51 percent in its carbon intensity from 2005 to 2022.

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment, together with another six government bodies, issued an action plan on the planning and carrying out of work on reducing pollutants and carbon emissions in tandem, he said. And this year, a national implementation plan for the work has been made public.

The ministry has been offering guidance for regional governments to help them work out their implementation plans. To date, 18 of them have unveiled their plans, he said.

He vowed a series of measures to further promote the work across China. The ministry, for instance, will roll out a series of pilot programs to explore work modes that are replicated and promoted.

The vice minister stressed that China's exploration is of great significance for other developing nations, as those work modes may be instructive for them to promote their own green development.

China will enhance communication with the international community to jointly promote synergy between the emission control of traditional air pollutants and heat-trapping gases as it strives to contribute Chinese wisdom to the international community for the building of a clean and beautiful world, he stated.