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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) — The 4th session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and the 4th session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) reviewed and discussed the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2026-2030), which aims to chart the country's path toward modernization, one of the distinguishing features of which is the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.
The period 2026-2030 marks a key stage for China in its quest to substantially achieve socialist modernization by 2035. The 15th Five-Year Plan, which contains quantitative targets for carbon emission reduction, pollution control, and environmental protection, provides a roadmap for China's comprehensive green transformation.
CONSISTENT COMMITMENT
According to the above-mentioned document, of the 20 key indicators of socio-economic development for the 15th Five-Year Plan, five are related to environmentally friendly and low-carbon development.
Specifically, China aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 17 percent in the next five years while simultaneously increasing the share of non-fossil energy sources in total energy consumption to 25 percent from 21.7 percent in 2025.
"The document states that China's determination to promote green transformation remains unchanged, regardless of changes in the international situation," said Wu Fenggang, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and an economist at the Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Socialism. "This strategic determination is in itself a great contribution to the global economy."
Positioning “green” development as a distinctive feature of China’s modernization is not just a national slogan, but also a strategic choice based on national realities and a long-term vision.
“For China, this is a fundamental development path chosen as a result of deep historical reflection and represents a practical choice that goes beyond the traditional Western model of modernization,” said Xiang Yafang, a researcher at Donghua University in Shanghai.
This choice is rooted in the traditional Chinese ideal of "harmony between man and nature," often expressed by ancient philosophers such as Laozi and Zhuangzi. Unlike paradigms that view nature as a resource to be dominated, this worldview views humanity as an integral part of an interconnected whole, advocating for a symbiotic coexistence in which humans and nature thrive together.
The now-widely accepted notion that green mountains and emerald waters are priceless treasures has transformed this philosophy into a powerful political driver. By emphasizing that economic development should not come at the expense of the environment, this approach aligns with the socialist commitment to public well-being, ensuring its environmental component.
China's development, beyond philosophy, is determined by a fundamental reality: a huge population with relatively limited resources per capita, said Yu Hai, deputy director of the Center for Policy Research on Environment and Economics at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China.
In China, where per capita arable land is less than half the world average, freshwater resources are only a quarter of the world average, and forest area is only one-fifth of the world average, the traditional development model of economic growth first and environmental improvement second is unacceptable.
In response to this unique call for Chinese-style modernization, the 15th Five-Year Plan outlines a set of tasks and targets to accelerate the “green transition” in all areas over the next five years.
The country aims to accelerate the transition to greener production and lifestyles and ensure that carbon emissions peak as planned by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.
According to the document, during the new five-year period, environmentally friendly production activities and lifestyles should become the norm in society, the goal of reaching the maximum level of carbon dioxide emissions should be achieved on schedule, the quality of the ecological environment should be comprehensively improved, and the indicators of diversity, stability and sustainable development of ecosystems should be steadily improved.
A VIABLE PATH
It is noteworthy that in the main provisions of the 15th Five-Year Plan, “carbon” targets are formulated not simply as environmental objectives; they are also presented as serious drivers of comprehensive transformation, setting the direction for efforts to synchronize pollution reduction, “green” development, and economic growth.
This commitment to environmentally sustainable development runs through various sectors, including finance, trade, industry, transportation and agriculture, and sustainability is at the core of China's development roadmap.
The next five years are a crucial period for China to reach a peak in carbon emissions, which is why the 15th Five-Year Plan's guidelines place more emphasis on "low-carbon" targets than the previous plan, said Yuan Da, a senior official at China's National Development and Reform Commission.
For China, one of the world's largest energy consumers, this is a huge challenge. To address this, China is creating new systems, such as a national carbon market, which transforms the hidden costs of pollution into clear business drivers.
Over the next five years, efforts will be focused on the comprehensive development of clean and low-carbon technologies and industries, the creation of about 100 zero-carbon industrial parks at the national level, and planning the development of more than 10,000 kilometers of zero-carbon transport corridors, Yuan Da said.
The key provisions of the 15th Five-Year Plan state that a dual control mechanism will be implemented for both the total volume and intensity of carbon emissions, which will be carried out through local carbon emission assessment, sector-level carbon emission control, enterprise carbon emission management, project carbon emission assessment, and product carbon footprint tracking.
Tangible results of China's transition to a "green economy" are already visible in the areas of environmental protection and the economy as a whole.
Over the past five years, China has accounted for a quarter of the world's growth in green space, and its air quality has recently improved significantly, with international studies acknowledging China as "the fastest-improving air quality country in the world."
The concept of "green" development has also redefined cost, stimulating large-scale investment and strengthening the country's industrial potential through innovation. China currently leads the world in both renewable energy use and renewable energy production, supplying the majority of solar panels and wind turbines and driving down clean energy costs globally. China has become the world's largest market for new energy vehicles, with new energy vehicle sales expected to exceed half of total new passenger car sales by 2025.
A study by the Finnish Research Centre for Energy and Clean Air found that clean energy technologies will account for more than a third of China's economic growth in 2025.
For companies, the new development roadmap means that "green thinking" must now guide their daily decisions. Liu Hui, a member of the National People's Congress and a leading technician at Jiangling Motors, noted that the transition to a "green" approach is not just a political trend but also a key factor in corporate competitiveness.
In line with national environmental initiatives, the company has invested heavily in the transition to a green economy over the past five years and plans to continue doing so. "This consistent policy has given our company the confidence to invest boldly," he said.
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