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Opinion of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Accelerating the Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development
(Released on July 31, 2024)

Promoting the greening and low-carbonization of economic and social development is a key symbol of the Party's new concepts and practices in governance in the new era. It is crucial for achieving high-quality development, solving China’s resource, environmental, and ecological problems, and building a modern society in harmony with nature. In order to accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, the following opinions are proposed.

I. General Requirements

Guided by Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implementing the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and the 2nd and 3rd Plenaries of the 20th Central Committee, fully adhering to Xi Jinping’s Economic Thought and Ecological Civilization Thought, and comprehensively implementing the new development concept, we should accelerate the construction of a new development pattern, persistently pursue an ecologically prioritized, resource-efficient, and green low-carbon high-quality development path, led by carbon peak and carbon neutrality efforts, and simultaneously promote carbon reduction, pollution reduction, ecological enhancement, and economic growth. We aim to deepen the ecological civilization system reform, improve the green low-carbon development mechanism, accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, and form a spatial structure, industrial structure, production mode, and lifestyle that saves resources and protects the environment. This will fully advance the construction of a beautiful China and the modernization of human-nature harmony.

In the work, the following points must be emphasized:

• Comprehensive Transformation: Firmly establish the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." Incorporate the requirements of green transformation into the entire economic and social development agenda and advance the green transformation in all areas, regions, and fields to build a shared community of life between humans and nature.

• Coordinated Transformation: Consider the development realities of different regions and industries. Combine overall planning with targeted breakthroughs, set a scientific timetable and roadmap for green transformation, and encourage regions and industries with conditions to take the lead in exploration.

• Innovative Transformation: Strengthen technological innovation, policy, and institutional reforms, and business model innovations supporting the green transformation. Advance the green low-carbon technological revolution, develop new forms of productivity suitable to local conditions, and improve the ecological civilization system to provide stronger innovation momentum and institutional guarantees for green transformation.

• Safe Transformation: Coordinate the relationships between development and emissions reduction, the overall and the local, the short-term and the long-term, the government and the market. Properly prevent and resolve the risks and challenges faced by green transformation, and ensure food, energy, industrial supply chain, and people's livelihoods are protected.

The main goal is: By 2030, significant progress in key sectors in green transformation, with green production and lifestyle largely formed, enhanced ability to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, improved resource utilization efficiency, a more complete policy and standards system for green development, and significant results in comprehensive green transformation. By 2035, a green, low-carbon, circular economic system will be basically established, green production modes and lifestyles will be widely adopted, collaborative progress in reducing pollution and carbon emissions will be achieved, major resource utilization efficiency will reach international advanced levels, and the development of society and economy will fully enter a green and low-carbon trajectory.

II. Building a Green, Low-Carbon, High-Quality Development Spatial Pattern

1. Optimizing National Spatial Development and Protection: Improve the unified and efficient national spatial planning system. Strictly protect farmland, basic agricultural land, ecological protection red lines, and urban development boundaries while optimizing various spatial layouts. Improve the principal function area system and refine policies accordingly. Accelerate the construction of a national park-centered system for natural reserves.

2. Creating Green Development High Ground: Strengthen regional green development cooperation, promote coordinated development and collaborative transformation, and create high-growth areas for green low-carbon development. Support the construction of exemplar green cities such as Xiong'an New Area and promote the ecological protection of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and green development in Hainan Free Trade Port.

III. Accelerating Industrial Structure Green Low-Carbon Transformation

1. Promote Green Low-Carbon Upgrading of Traditional Industries: Push forward green low-carbon transformation in sectors such as steel, non-ferrous metals, petrochemicals, chemicals, construction materials, paper-making, and textile industries. Enhance energy-saving, low-carbon, and clean production technologies and processes.

2. Develop Green Low-Carbon Industries: Accelerate the development of strategic emerging industries and build a green manufacturing and service system. Support the growth of competitive green low-carbon enterprises, cultivate leading enterprises, and foster small businesses specializing in green technologies. Promote environmental management services, such as third-party environmental pollution control.

IV. Steady Advancement of Energy Green Low-Carbon Transformation

1. Enhance Clean and Efficient Use of Fossil Fuels: Strengthen the construction of energy production, supply, storage, and sales systems, emphasizing the phased replacement of fossil energy with non-fossil sources in a safe and reliable manner.

2. Expand Non-Fossil Energy Development: Accelerate the development of clean energy bases such as wind, solar, hydro, offshore wind, and nuclear power. Develop hydrogen energy across the entire value chain, focusing on production, storage, transport, and use.

V. Advancing the Green Transformation of Transport

1. Optimize Transport Structure: Build a green and efficient transportation system by enhancing coordination between railways, highways, and waterways, reducing empty load rates, and increasing cargo and passenger transport efficiency.

2. Develop Green Transport Infrastructure: Upgrade green and intelligent levels of transport infrastructure such as stations, airports, and highways, promote energy-efficient transportation technologies, and improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

3. Promote Low-Carbon Transport Tools: Accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, clean fuel ships, and aircraft, and encourage the phasing out of old and inefficient transport tools.

VI. Green Transformation of Urban and Rural Development

1. Promote Green Construction and Planning: Incorporate green transformation into urban and rural planning, construction, and governance. Adopt green low-carbon design concepts, protect and restore ecological spaces, and build climate-resilient cities.

2. Develop Green Low-Carbon Buildings: Promote energy-efficient and low-carbon construction technologies, advance the development of zero-energy buildings, and improve existing buildings’ energy efficiency.

3. Promote Green Agriculture and Rural Development: Encourage the reduction of carbon emissions in agriculture, optimize agricultural structures, and implement sustainable farming practices.

VII. Implementing a Comprehensive Conservation Strategy

1. Promote Energy Savings and Carbon Reduction: Push for energy-saving and low-carbon retrofits in key sectors, develop carbon emission measurement systems, and implement carbon reduction and energy-saving management in enterprises.

2. Advancing Circular Economy: Promote a circular economy and resource-efficient production methods. Increase the recycling and reuse of resources to reduce waste, improve the quality of recycled materials, and reduce dependency on primary resources.

VIII. Green Consumption Transformation

1. Promote Green Lifestyles: Encourage public awareness of green, low-carbon, and healthy lifestyles through social norms and actions. Encourage the adoption of sustainable practices such as water and energy conservation, waste reduction, and low-carbon travel.

2. Expand Green Product Supply: Encourage businesses to develop green products, including energy-efficient appliances, sustainable building materials, and low-carbon technologies. Improve product labeling and carbon footprint systems.

IX. Strengthening Technological Innovation Support

1. Enhance Applied Basic Research: Strengthen research in disruptive and frontier technologies in green transformation, and build innovation platforms that support green low-carbon technologies.

2. Accelerate Key Technology Research and Development: Focus on technologies for carbon reduction, clean energy, low-carbon industrial processes, and other critical sectors.

X. Perfecting the Green Transformation Policy System

1. Improve Green Fiscal and Tax Policies: Build a fiscal and tax policy framework that supports the transition to green, low-carbon industries. Implement tax incentives for clean energy and energy-saving technologies.

2. Optimize Green Investment Mechanisms: Encourage investment in green technologies, low-carbon industries, and infrastructure, and support the issuance of green bonds and other financial instruments.