China on Friday passed a new energy law to promote carbon neutrality, state media reported, as Beijing moves forward with its pledge to decarbonize its economy by 2060.
China is a major producer of greenhouse gases that scientists say are fueling global warming and climate change.
But it’s also a world leader in clean energy — building twice as much wind and solar power as all other countries combined.
It is committed to bringing carbon dioxide emissions up by the end of the decade and to zero by 2060.
State news agency Xinhua reported that officials voted to pass the energy law on Friday, saying it would “further promote decarbonisation and carbon neutrality”.
The law was established to “promote high energy development, ensure national energy security, (and) promote green and low carbon transition and sustainable economic and social development”, according to Xinhua.
The law contains sections on energy planning, development and use, he said, without giving further details.
The announcement came as the country’s legislative body met in Beijing this week, with a series of new laws and economic support high on their agenda.
– Critical climate talks –
Countries will meet in the Central Asian region, Azerbaijan next month for the UN climate conference, COP29.
EU climate watchdog Copernicus said this week that 2024 was “certainly” the hottest on record with warming of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average.
Under the Paris climate agreement, countries must aim to keep global warming below 2C above pre-industrial levels and shoot for 1.5C if possible.
China, like many nations in the northern hemisphere, has endured a summer of severe weather of the kind that scientists say will intensify as the world warms.
The northern regions of the country are covered in heat waves, while parts of the center and south have been hit by heavy rains that have caused dangerous floods in some areas.
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