China passed a new energy law on Friday to promote carbon neutrality, state media reported, as Beijing makes progress on its pledge to decarbonize its economy by 2060.
China is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases that scientists say are driving global warming and climate change.
But the country is also a world leader in clean energy, building almost twice as much wind and solar energy capacity as all other countries combined.
The country has committed to peaking carbon dioxide emissions by the end of this decade and reducing them to zero by 2060.
State news agency Xinhua reported that officials voted to pass the energy law on Friday, saying it would “actively and steadily promote carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.”
The law is formulated to “promote high-quality energy development, ensure national energy security, (and) promote green and low-carbon transformation and the sustainable development of the economy and society,” Xinhua said.
The legislation includes sections on energy planning, development and use, he said, without providing further details.
The announcement came as the country’s top legislative body met in Beijing this week, with a raft of new laws and economic support high on their agenda.
– Crunch climate talks –
Countries will meet next month in the Central Asian state of Azerbaijan for a crucial UN climate summit, COP29.
The EU climate monitor Copernicus said this week that 2024 will “almost certainly” be the warmest on record, with warming of more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average.
Under the Paris Climate Agreement, countries should aim to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and aim for 1.5 degrees Celsius if possible.
China, like many other countries in the Northern Hemisphere, has endured a summer of extreme weather of the kind that scientists say will intensify as the world warms.
Parts of the country’s north were sweltering under sweltering heatwaves, while parts of the center and south were lashed by heavy rains that led to deadly flooding in some areas.
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