IRENA sets out 13-step plan for net-zero China
The plan includes China’s transition to renewable energy as well as issues posed by urban areas and domestic transport. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has created a 13-point plan for China to be able to reach carbon neutrality through renewables.
The plan comes as a result of IRENA’s strategic partnership with China as the world’s biggest producer and consumer of energy seeks to achieve peak carbon emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.
The report, China's route to carbon neutrality: Perspectives and the role of renewables, outlines 13 steps for China to achieve its carbon goals, including the development of a long-term energy plan and the prioritisation of maintaining energy efficiency for example through the promotion of a circular economy and the utilisation of digital technology.
Dolf Gielen, director of IRENA’s Innovation and Technology Centre in Bonn, Germany, said: “China is the world’s largest market for renewables and its energy transition has profound global implications.
“IRENA’s new report on the country outlines the challenges and underscores the importance of keeping the transition on course both nationally and globally.”
Other points in IRENA’s plan included an accelerated phase-down of China’s coal consumption.
China’s main energy source is coal and the country accounted for over half of the fossil fuel’s primary energy use (56%) in 2021.
IRENA found the barriers to change were mostly related to changes in policies and legislation rather than of a technological or economic nature.
The Agency has set out that China will need to increase the speed of its transition to renewable power with the aim for solar, wind, and hydropower to form the backbone of China’s power supply. This will require a reform of China’s power networks, including smart grids and energy storage solutions.
China’s road to carbon neutrality has been deemed by IRENA to be “unique” since it is currently the world’s largest producer and consumer of energy, accounting for 28% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
With 60% of China’s 1.4bn population living in urban areas, the country will need to identify sustainable solutions for low-carbon living in these areas, according to IRENA.
The report also identified domestic transport, international aviation and shipping as sectors requiring more incentivisation to become low carbon or carbon neutral.
A net-zero emission groundwork plan for the industrial sector and continued support for RD&D were also part of China’s road to net zero.
The final recommendation for China was to deepen its international cooperation, both by learning best practices from other countries and regions and in turn by showcasing its own successes.
