An Analysis of China's Carbon Dioxide Mitigation Target

ABSTRACT The Chinese government has announced a national mitigation target towards sustainable development of reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per unit GDP (CO₂/GDP) by 40–45% by 2020 compared with the 2005 level. This paper analyses China's CO₂ strategic mitigation target and suggests possible ways to reduce CO₂/GDP. The mitigation target of reducing CO₂ intensity in terms of GDP is ambitious and would greatly reduce CO₂ emissions compared with business as usual (BAU) in China. However, it would not prevent an increase in absolute CO₂ emissions and therefore a more ambitious target, e.g. a larger reduction goal for CO₂/GDP, is still needed. Promoting energy structure by more ambitious economic instruments to increase the proportion of renewable energy and replace coal consumption with oil and gas, and improving energy efficiency by applied advanced technologies, are both necessary measures. Special attention should be given to improving technologies in the manufacturing sector owing to its high energy consumption and low energy use efficiency. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.