China has made solemn promises to the world and kept them in response to climate change, pursuing greener development in the span ofthe 13th Five-Year Plan.
Here are some facts and figures about the country’s green efforts from 2016 to 2020:
— Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per unit of the gross domestic product fell by 18.2 percent by the end of last year from 2015, completing ahead of schedule the target set over the five years.
— Non-fossil fuels accounted for 15.3 percent of the country’s energy consumption by the end of last year, fulfilling in advance China’s promise to the global community meant for 2020.
— Energy consumption per unit of industrial output by China’s designated large enterprises in 2019 dropped by over 15 percent from 2015, which translates to about 400 billion yuan (about 59.9 billion U.S. dollars) in saved costs.
— Boasting the world’s largest inventory of new energy vehicles (NEVs), China accounts for 55 percent of global NEV sales.
— The installed capacity of renewable energy sources has been growing by an average annual rate of 12 percent since 2016, with new energy sources like wind and solar power taking up over half of the total installed capacity of renewable energy sources.
— Cities across China joined a concerted national approach to fight climate change. A total of 81 cities in six provincial-level regions have piloted the construction of low-carbon metropolises.
— China has been a staunch upholder of the Paris Agreement and an active player in global cooperation on climate change. It has vowed to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.
