Adhering to the "dual carbon" guidance, we will promote a comprehensive green transformation (seeking progress while maintaining stability, improving quality and efficiency to achieve a good start to the "15th Five-Year Plan").
—Focusing on advancing the eight key tasks of the year's economic work (⑥)
Promoting green and low-carbon economic and social development is a key link in achieving high-quality development.
The 15th Five-Year Plan proposed to "accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development and build a beautiful China." The Central Economic Work Conference deployed the key task of "adhering to the 'dual carbon' guidance and promoting comprehensive green transformation."
In implementing the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference, all localities and departments have steadfastly followed the path of high-quality development that prioritizes ecology, conserves and intensifies resources, and promotes green and low-carbon development in a coordinated manner, so as to achieve a virtuous cycle and mutual reinforcement between high-level protection, high-quality environment and high-quality development.
The carbon peaking action will be implemented in a planned and phased manner.
The Central Economic Work Conference proposed to "further promote energy conservation and carbon reduction transformation in key industries. Formulate an outline for building a strong energy nation, accelerate the construction of a new energy system, and expand the application of green electricity. Strengthen the construction of a national carbon emissions trading market."
Guided by the "dual carbon" goal, my country's economic and social development has entered a fast track of green transformation.
The energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation process in key industries is accelerating.
Ansteel Group Benxi Steel Plate Company in Benxi City, Liaoning Province, produces automotive steel using a short-process low-carbon metallurgical process of "electric furnace + converter," which can achieve a comprehensive carbon reduction of more than 30%.
Energy structure transformation and breakthroughs in smelting technology... This century-old steel company is moving towards a greener future, successfully achieving its interim goal of peaking carbon emissions by 2025. Man Tong, manager of dual-carbon management at Benxi Steel Group's Strategic Planning Department, explained that the company will focus on achieving breakthroughs in the industrialization of cutting-edge low-carbon metallurgical technologies and promoting the large-scale application of deep carbon reduction processes.
China has built the world's largest clean power supply and clean steel production system, with 950 million tons of crude steel production capacity undergoing full-process ultra-low emission transformation or key project upgrades. Since 2012, my country has supported an average annual economic growth of 6.1% with an average annual energy consumption growth rate of 3.4%, and its carbon emission intensity has cumulatively decreased by more than 35%.
2026 will be the first year of the comprehensive shift from dual control of energy consumption to dual control of carbon emissions. All regions and departments should further consolidate the foundation of carbon emission statistics and accounting, improve the carbon emission statistics and accounting system, and steadily implement policies and systems such as local carbon assessment, industry carbon control, enterprise carbon management, project carbon evaluation, and product carbon footprint.
Accelerate the construction of a clean and low-carbon new energy system.
In October 2025, green electricity from Inner Mongolia will cross mountains and seas to light up thousands of homes on Hainan Island.
Relying on its abundant wind and solar resources, Inner Mongolia has made breakthrough progress in the green transformation of its energy structure, with total installed capacity of new energy exceeding 170 million kilowatts.
Wind, sun, and water flow are continuously transformed into green energy for development. my country's installed capacity of new energy power generation has surpassed that of thermal power, contributing more than 80% of photovoltaic modules and 70% of wind power equipment to the world.
Strengthen the construction of the national carbon emissions trading market.
The national carbon market is an important policy tool for actively addressing climate change and achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. Currently, my country has built the world's largest carbon market; it includes four key industries—power generation, steel, cement, and aluminum smelting—covering more than 60% of the country's total carbon dioxide emissions; and it is driven by both mandatory and voluntary carbon markets, achieving full coverage of emission reduction entities.
The pressure to reduce emissions will be transformed into intrinsic motivation, encouraging business entities and all sectors of society to participate in the comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation process. A relevant official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment stated that the scope of the national carbon emissions trading market will be expanded, trading varieties and methods will be enriched, the construction of a voluntary greenhouse gas emissions reduction trading market will be accelerated, and a more effective, dynamic, and internationally influential carbon market will be built.
Advance pollution prevention and control and ecosystem optimization
The Central Economic Work Conference proposed to "fight the battles for blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil, and strengthen the control of new pollutants." It also called for "solidly advancing the 'Three-North' project and implementing the integration and optimization of nature reserves."
Local governments and departments have taken strong measures to address prominent ecological and environmental problems, adhered to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, improved the quality of the ecological environment, and built a solid ecological security barrier.
We must win the battle to protect our blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil.
In Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the Xinkai River flows through the city. Every morning at 6 a.m., Hu Fuqing, a "folk river chief," picks up a fishing rod and tongs and begins his patrol. More than two hours later, he returns to the community service hall to record his patrol log for the day.
From the past when "sewage was flowing out" and "many leaves were floating on the river", to today when "there are no floating objects on the river" and "the water is clear"... Hu Fuqing used more than 3,800 river patrol diaries to record the transformation of the Xinkai River from turbid to clear.
The river in front of the gate reflects the changes in water quality. Data shows that the proportion of surface water with excellent quality nationwide has increased from 64.1% to 90.4%, the main stream of the Yangtze River has maintained Class II water quality for six consecutive years, and black and odorous water bodies in prefecture-level and above cities have been basically eliminated.
A relevant official from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment stated that they will adhere to the principle of environmental protection for the people, fully implement precise, scientific, and law-based pollution control, pay more attention to source control, strengthen the coordination of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, the coordination of multi-pollutant control, and the coordination of regional governance, and fight the battles to protect blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil, so as to achieve new breakthroughs in pollution prevention and control in key areas, important fields, and key indicators.
Promote the continuous optimization of the ecosystem.
In the Houheba Desertification Control Area of Minfeng County, Xinjiang, Maitituerdi Maitikurban, head of the farmers' cooperative in Xianfeng Village, is busy with his members on the sand dunes. "We need to build more straw checkerboards and plant more jujube saplings to widen and thicken our 'green scarf'."
From "locking in the sand" to "expanding the green belt around the Taklamakan Desert," the green sand-blocking and protection belt has been completed for more than a year, writing a new chapter of greening and sand retreat, and greening and prosperity. In the key areas, 21 counties (cities) have completed the addition of 9.3822 million mu of greening area, and the width of the lock belt has increased by 110 meters to 7,500 meters.
The Three-North Shelterbelt Project has implemented 415 projects, achieving significant progress; large-scale land greening initiatives have been carried out scientifically, increasing forest coverage to over 25% and accumulating "green wealth"; a nature reserve system with national parks as the main body has been established, effectively protecting 90% of terrestrial ecosystem types and 74% of nationally protected wild animal and plant populations... Through in-depth promotion of major projects for the protection and restoration of important ecosystems and the implementation of major projects for biodiversity conservation, the diversity, stability, and sustainability of my country's ecosystems have been continuously improved.
Accelerate the formation of green production and lifestyle
The "15th Five-Year Plan" proposal put forward the idea of "accelerating the formation of green production and lifestyles." All regions and departments will integrate the concept of green development into all aspects of economic and social development, promote the industrialization of ecology and the ecology of industry, and unswervingly follow the path of civilized development that features production development, affluent life, and a sound ecology.
Establish and improve a green industry system.
Stepping into Beijing OriginWater Membrane Technology Co., Ltd., one sees an intelligent integrated wastewater purification system that transforms wastewater into water for production and domestic use, while methane in the exhaust gas is collected and converted into heat energy through combustion…
"As a national-level green factory, we utilize a resource recycling model to significantly reduce the generation of waste gas, wastewater, and solid waste, achieving harmonious coexistence with the surrounding environment," said Li Suoding, chief scientist of Beijing OriginWater Membrane Technology Co., Ltd.
As of December 2025, 6,430 green factories, 491 green industrial parks, and 727 green supply chain enterprises have been established nationwide, and more than 40,000 green products have been promoted.
We will further promote the zoned management and control of the ecological environment.
Open the Jiangsu Provincial Ecological Environment Zoning Management and Control Integrated Service Platform. Green, red, and yellow patches represent three types of management units: priority protection, key management, and general management, respectively.
“Each management unit has an ecological and environmental access list, forming personalized management and control requirements,” said Cai Yun, a senior engineer at the Jiangsu Provincial Ecological and Environmental Assessment Center. “Users enter relevant project information, and the system can intelligently analyze its compliance with relevant management and control requirements, providing a reference for the feasibility of project site selection.”
To clarify the bottom line and define the boundaries for green development, my country has established a two-level, three-category, and one-list ecological and environmental zoning management system, delineating more than 40,000 ecological and environmental management units.
We strongly advocate for a green and healthy lifestyle.
In Wuhan, Hubei Province, after charging his new energy vehicle, citizen Li Bin opened the WeChat mini-program "Wuhan Carbon Jianghu" and received carbon emission reductions with one click. "There are real-time rewards for all kinds of low-carbon behaviors, and you can redeem coupons or cultural and creative products after accumulating them."
Currently, 27 provinces across the country have introduced carbon inclusive policies, covering green living scenarios such as green travel, electricity conservation, recycling of old items, and garbage sorting.
In the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, all regions, departments, and industries firmly established and practiced the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," coordinating industrial restructuring, pollution control, ecological protection, and climate change response, continuously strengthening the ecological foundation and development advantages, and accelerating the construction of a beautiful China where humanity and nature coexist harmoniously. (People's Daily reporters Dong Siyu and Jiang Xuehong)
