China tightens the screws: Officials must meet climate targets or face penalties

China plans to step up its campaign to ensure it meets its climate targets. From this year, local provincial governments will also be assessed on how they contribute to achieving the 2030 emissions target. Pressure on local governments is one of the ways Beijing has pursued its ambitious policies in the past, whether on COVID, economic growth, air quality or poverty reduction.

From this year, provincial governments will be assessed on how effectively they contribute to ensuring that carbon emissions peak before 2030. Citing Chinese state authorities—the State Council and the Central Commission of the Communist Party of China—Bloomberg reports that if the leadership of a province fails to make sufficient progress, it will have 30 days to remedy the situation; otherwise, it will face disciplinary proceedings.

Although the document, published on 22 April, is not theoretically binding, its release through the official channels of China’s two main institutions lends it considerable weight. Carbon Brief also notes that it is the first major government document to link decarbonisation with energy security and industrial development. It also points out that, while the document is stricter on climate targets, it does not directly rule out coal.

In response to the news, shares in some renewable energy companies rose on Chinese stock exchanges.

China and emissions

China is a powerhouse in the export of renewable energy technologies. However, its rapid economic growth has made it the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter for several years. In 2023, for example, it was responsible for 32.1% of global CO₂ emissions, according to the IEA. Emissions in the country are driven primarily by coal combustion, especially in power plants and industry. Coal accounts for around 60–70% of electricity generation and a significant share of emissions.

China has also pledged to reach peak emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. The government has set relatively conservative climate targets compared with what some critics would like to see. On the other hand, China often meets its targets.

China’s massive economic growth has had significant environmental impacts. Historically, urban smog was a major problem, for example, and the government gradually addressed it by closing the most polluting power plants and moving industry out of urban areas. The situation has improved in many cases, and attention is now also turning to problems such as microplastics and “forever chemicals”.

The question remains whether China will meet its targets for 2030: reducing emissions intensity by 65% from 2005 levels and ensuring that non-fossil sources account for at least a quarter of the energy mix. The government’s official measures suggest that Beijing is at least taking this goal seriously.