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Carbon emissions trading in China

Nature Climate Change volume 2, pages 765–766 (2012)Cite this article

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China is to introduce a national emissions trading system based on regional pilot projects despite structural hurdles ahead.

As the world's largest greenhouse-gas (GHG) emitter, China reportedly attempted to block the development of the Copenhagen Accord in 2009 (ref. 1). Before the Copenhagen negotiations, however, the country substantially scaled up its unilateral commitment: carbon intensity down 40–45% below 2005 levels by 2020. Although the international climate community is happy to see such an ambitious timeline, the question is how this can be achieved. China — halfway through its transition from a socialist economy to a market economy — promises a market-based solution.

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  1. Alex Y. Lo is at the Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia

    Alex Y. Lo

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  1. Alex Y. Lo
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Correspondence to Alex Y. Lo.

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Lo, A. Carbon emissions trading in China. Nature Clim Change 2, 765–766 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1714

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