China's new work plan for carbon emissions: Accelerating the shift to a dual control system

China is shifting its focus from controlling energy consumption to controlling carbon emissions, a change from process control to results-oriented management that will compel industries to adopt green technologies in the energy transition.

China is shifting its focus from controlling energy consumption to controlling carbon emissions, a change from process control to results-oriented management that will compel industries to adopt green technologies in the energy transition.

The State Council of China today released the “Work plan for accelerating the establishment of a dual control system for carbon emissions“, marking the first time China has issued a national work plan on this subject since proposing the transition from energy consumption dual control to carbon emission dual control at the Central Economic Work Conference in 2021. The “dual control of carbon emissions” refers to controlling the carbon emission intensity per unit of GDP and the total carbon emissions. Previously, “dual control of energy consumption” referred to controlling the energy consumption intensity per unit of GDP and the total energy consumption.

The work plan proposes that from 2026 to 2030, a dual control system focusing on intensity control, supplemented by total volume control, will be implemented. After reaching peak carbon emissions in 2030, the focus will shift to a system where total volume control is primary and intensity control is secondary. The work plan explicitly states that carbon emission indicators will be included in future national development planning.