China has released its national climate change response plan for the 15th Five-Year Period (2026-2030), outlining key steps to meet the country's carbon reduction goals and bolster readiness for climate adaptation.
The plan, jointly released by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and 17 other government departments on Wednesday, marks the first time a five-year plan has systematically established a full-scope target system for addressing climate change.
It stipulates that during the 15th Five-Year period, new and major progress will be achieved in climate change response and carbon peaking and neutrality efforts, with the full completion of the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution.
By 2030, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product are set to decline by 17 percent from the 2025 level, while carbon dioxide emissions per product unit in industries covered by the national carbon market are to fall by approximately 3 percent from the 2025 level.
"This time, based on the 2035 nationally determined contribution target the state announced last year, we have further incorporated non-carbon-dioxide-related targets. For the first time, we have proposed that non-carbon-dioxide emission reduction capacity during the 15th Five-Year period should reach 30 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This indicates that China's response to climate change and carbon emission reduction are advancing toward full greenhouse gas emission reduction," said Chai Qimin, director of the strategic planning department at the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation.
This plan tackles the climate crisis through eight major moves.
Slashing carbon dioxide emissions in high-impact sectors and reining in other potent greenhouse gases anchor the effort. To drive accountability, the strategy supercharges the national carbon market and builds a reliable carbon footprint tracking system.
These domestic measures pair with stronger defenses against climate risks and ramped-up real-world adaptation. The entire framework sharpens climate governance while stepping up China's global role in the fight against a warming planet.
China releases national climate change response plan for 2026-2030
