Rivers and Mountains
Climate Watch
China’s zero-carbon industrial parks: what’s at stake?
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China’s zero-carbon industrial parks: what’s at stake?

Why are zero-carbon industrial parks so important for China now?

Beijing is gearing up for one of its most significant political events of the year: the Two Sessions. Lawmakers from across China will be gathering next week to discuss the key work priorities for the government. This brings us to an interesting question—what might be on their agenda for the coming year?

As I was thinking about this, I revisited last year’s Central Economic Work Conference document. It provided an overarching view of the government's policy directions and priorities. We’ve covered the document in a previous episode: What’s China’s plan for a greener 2025?

Among many focus areas, it specifically highlighted the push for the construction of zero-carbon industrial parks.

Then, just last month, the National Development and Reform Commission—the body responsible for national economic and social development policies—once again mentioned the construction of zero-carbon parks as a key task for 2025.

But why are zero-carbon industrial parks so important for China at this moment? And how do we actually make them a reality?

To answer these questions, I reached out to two professionals deeply involved in the field.

First, we have Song Yuyan, the Director General of the Secretariat of Green Partnership of Industrial Parks China. She’ll provide us with practical insights into what’s happening on the ground in building these parks.

And second, Han Wei from Energy Foundation, who will share insights from a policy-making perspective.

It’s still unclear exactly what will be on the agenda for lawmakers next week. We’ll be keeping an eye on any developments related to green development.

Stay tuned as we bring you more updates on China’s 2025 work plan, with a special focus on sustainable development.

And, as always, remember to follow our podcast Climate Watch for all the latest updates. You can also subscribe to this newsletter for a more in-depth breakdown of key documents and policies.

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