Supportive Technologies and Roadmap for China’s Carbon Neutrality

Wang Can1*, Sun Ruoshui1 and Zhang Jiutian2

1 School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

2 Green Development Institute (GDI), Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

Abstract: The vision of carbon neutrality is a climate ambition of milestone significancefor China and a key step for China’s transition from industrial civilization to ecologicalcivilization. The realization of carbon neutrality requires profound changes in China’stechnological and socioeconomic systems involving zero-carbon electric power, lowcarbonand zero-carbon end-use energy consumption, and negative emission technologies.Achievement of carbon neutrality is subject to the choice of pathways for various sectors,especially the electric power, industrial, transportation and construction sectors withsignificant carbon emissions and decarbonization difficulties. The goal of carbon neutralitywill influence China’s economic and industry systems, resource and industrial layout,technological innovation and ecological environment in profound ways. Hence, China’sfuture policymaking on carbon neutrality needs to consider environmental, technological,economic and social impacts, establish a correlation between carbon peak and carbonneutrality, identify climate-friendly clean technology innovations in real earnest, and putcarbon neutrality into the overall plan for ecological civilization.

Keywords: carbon neutrality, low-carbon technology, low-carbon development path

JEL Classification Code: Q54F00

DOI: 10.19602/j.chinaeconomist.2021.09.02