China's 15th Five-Year Climate Plan Targets 17% Cut in Carbon Intensity by 2030

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment, together with the National Development and Reform Commission and other departments, has jointly issued the National 15th Five-Year Plan for Climate Change Response. For the first time, the plan systematically establishes an all-sector, all-scope target system for climate change response at the five-year planning level, proposing that by 2030, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product will be 17% lower than in 2025, and that carbon dioxide emissions per unit of product across industries covered by the national carbon emissions trading market will fall by around 3% compared with 2025.

The plan fully reflects the principles of balancing mitigation and adaptation, coordinating domestic and international efforts, and synergizing policy with market mechanisms. With carbon peak and carbon neutrality as the guiding framework, it aligns with China's nationally determined contribution goals and is fully coordinated with the 15th Five-Year Plan for Building a Beautiful China and the 15th Five-Year Action Plan for Carbon Peak. The plan elevates climate change response from scattered policy measures into a systematic institutional arrangement, breaking down the long-term vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 into staged objectives for the 15th Five-Year period. Through micro-level indicators such as unit-product carbon emissions in the carbon market, it transmits macro-level emission reduction pressure to industries and enterprises.

An official from the Department of Climate Change Response under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment stated that to ensure the plan delivers results, three areas of work will be prioritized. First, deepening integrated coordination, strengthening policy coordination and inter-agency collaboration, guiding local governments and industries to advance climate change work in an orderly manner, and enhancing information sharing and joint scheduling. Second, strengthening publicity and training. Third, conducting tracking and evaluation, anchoring the goal of peaking carbon emissions before 2030, and carrying out dynamic monitoring, mid-term evaluation, and final assessment of the plan's implementation.

The plan proposes deepening the development of climate-resilient cities, addressing gaps in flood control, drainage, and disaster response infrastructure in northern regions, and guiding the optimal distribution of population, infrastructure, and industry toward areas with lower climate disaster risk. At present, China has established a three-tiered framework for climate adaptation comprising national strategy, provincial action plans, and city-level pilot programs. The 39 pilot cities for deepening climate-resilient urban development have made progress since their launch in 2023. Going forward, efforts will focus on strengthening inter-agency coordination, monitoring of climate change impacts and risk assessment, adaptation actions in key sectors, and capacity building, shifting climate governance from passive response to proactive prevention.