Plan calls for full-caliber climate response

Editor's note: China aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 17 percent from 2025 levels by 2030, according to the national climate change response plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period. In a Q&A posted on the Ministry of Ecology and Environment website, the person in charge of the climate change response department elaborated on the policy, while Chai Qimin, director of the strategic planning department at the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation, outlined the significance of the plan in an interview with China Central Television. Below are excerpts of the interviews. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

China has introduced a climate change response plan to make further progress in addressing climate change and achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. The plan also sets out goals to establish a comprehensive carbon footprint management system and bring improvements to the climate adaptation framework.

The plan comes at a time when global temperatures have likely reached their highest levels since modern record-keeping began. Rising temperatures have accelerated the melting of glaciers, contributed to the rise in sea levels and caused widespread degradation of coastal coral reefs. These changes threaten the ecological balance, undermine biodiversity and increasingly disrupt livelihoods, economic activities and sustainable development, resulting in economic losses worldwide.

Against this backdrop, it is necessary to build stronger foundational capacities, including the development of sponge cities and the implementation of comprehensive emergency preparedness and response systems to better protect communities from the growing risks of extreme weather and other climate-related events.

The plan sets out key goals for 2026 to 2030, including accelerating the green and low-carbon transition of the economy and society, enhancing the carbon sequestration capacity of ecosystems and advancing coordinated efforts to reduce pollution and carbon emissions.

It has also stressed strengthening methane emissions control, enhancing nitrous oxide emissions management and advancing the control of fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions.

Other goals include accelerating the development of the national carbon emissions trading market, actively fostering a high-quality national voluntary greenhouse gas emissions reduction trading market, enhancing the vitality and efficiency of carbon markets and expanding the international influence of China's carbon market.

Also on the agenda are improvements in carbon footprint labeling, certification and governance mechanisms, broadening the application of product carbon footprints and promoting international alignment of carbon footprint standards and rules.

China will play a major role in advancing multilateral climate governance, fulfilling its transparency obligations in a robust manner, deepening bilateral and multilateral international exchanges and cooperation, and continuing to strengthen South-South cooperation on climate change.

Recognizing that addressing climate change requires coordinated action across sectors and government agencies, the plan adopts a systematic approach to ensure effective implementation. It identifies three priorities for strengthening governance and policy execution.

The first is to deepen interdepartmental coordination. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment will strengthen policy coordination and operational cooperation with relevant government departments while guiding local governments and key industries in advancing climate initiatives in a coordinated manner. Enhanced information sharing and joint coordination mechanisms will help ensure that all stakeholders work toward common objectives.

The second priority is to strengthen public engagement and capacity building. Through broader public communication, education and professional training, the government aims to improve climate awareness and enhance society's ability to respond to climate change. These efforts are expected to encourage greener, lower-carbon lifestyles while expanding public participation in climate action.

The third priority is to strengthen monitoring and evaluation. Authorities will establish dynamic monitoring mechanisms, conduct midterm and final assessments, and ensure that the targets outlined in the plan are achieved on schedule.