Network meeting discusses China’s national ETS

February 2016 -Last September, China announced it would be launching a national emissions trading scheme (ETS) in 2017. As early as 2013, the Chinese government started to conduct a series of related pilot projects to identify and assess the challenges involved in establishing a national ETS. At a network meeting which was hosted by the German Chamber of Commerce (AHK) Greater China Beijing on behalf of the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), business representatives met with project experts on 14 December 2015 to discuss their various findings. Two experts gave an audience of over 30 participants an update on the current status of the Chinese ETS pilot schemes and outlined proposals for the development and potential structure of the country’s national ETS.

The progress made with the pilot phase of the seven projects conducted in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong, Tianjin and Hubei was well received overall. The pilots will run until the end of 2016. The national ETS, covering eight industry sectors, is to be launched as early as 2017. In addition to key industries such as petrochemicals, electricity, chemicals, building materials, paper production and nonferrous metals, the national ETS will also include the aviation sector. The Chinese government will use the experience gained with the seven pilots to create the necessary policy framework to ensure smooth transition of the regional pilot schemes into the national ETS. With increasing promotion of low-carbon industries, the launch of the national ETS is designed to drive the trend towards greener growth.

Further Information

Econet Monitor, a magazine published by the environmental experts of AHK Greater China in Beijing, has provided a detailed documentation of the network meeting in its issue from January 2016. The article, which is available in German only, can be downloaded here.