China has launched a new national framework to unify and standardize its climate action, as 15 government departments jointly issued the National Plan for the Development of a Standard System for Addressing Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”).
Source: China Environment News
China has launched a new national framework to unify and standardize its climate action, as 15 government departments jointly issued the National Plan for the Development of a Standard System for Addressing Climate Change (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”). Building upon existing standards for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, the Plan introduces a comprehensive, multi-level system—described as a “climate ruler”—comprising foundational capacity-building standards, mitigation standards, and adaptation standards.
In the area of climate mitigation, the Plan calls for the accelerated development of evaluation guidelines for zero-carbon factories, zero-carbon industrial parks, and low-carbon cities. It also promotes the development of standardized procedures and certification protocols for carbon neutrality declarations by factories, enterprises, and industrial parks. Emphasis is placed on ensuring alignment with internationally recognized standards, such as net-zero pledges and carbon-neutral targets adopted by global brands.
Several model low- and zero-carbon parks have already taken shape in China. As regulatory frameworks and technical standards become clearer, a new wave of zero-carbon park development is expected to follow. One important initiative currently underway is the Guidelines for the Construction of Zero-Carbon Industrial Parks, led by the China National Institute of Standardization and other institutions. This document, expected to be submitted for approval later this year, outlines park classifications, general principles, and system-level construction guidance—offering a unified blueprint for nationwide implementation.
Despite these efforts, the creation of zero-carbon parks still faces significant challenges. According to Lu Xi, Assistant Dean at the Institute for Carbon Neutrality of Tsinghua University’s School of Environment, several key enabling technologies—such as long-distance green power transmission, green hydrogen storage and transport, and long-duration energy storage—remain either cost-prohibitive or technologically immature. These high costs have reduced the incentive for participation among industrial parks and enterprises, which in turn has limited the development of upstream and downstream industries and created a negative feedback loop that hinders investment in low-, zero-, and negative-carbon technologies.
To break this cycle, the Plan and related forthcoming policies encourage provincial and local governments to develop region-specific incentives and subsidy programs based on local industrial characteristics. These efforts aim to accelerate the scaling and adoption of zero-carbon parks as a key pathway to achieving China’s climate goals.
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