[Policy] Seven departments jointly issued the “Implementation Plan of Synergizing the Reduction of Pollution and Carbon Emissions”

Seven departments including the MEE and the NDRC jointly issued the Implementation Plan for Synergizing the Reduction of Pollution and Carbon Emission (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) on June 13^th, 2022.

The Plan proposes phased target goals for the years 2025 and 2030：

By 2025, the work pattern of reducing pollution and carbon emissions and promoting synergy will be basically shaped. The structural optimization and adjustment and green low-carbon development in key regions and key areas will make obvious benefits. Several replicable and generalizable typical experiences will be formed and the synergy of reducing pollution and carbon emissions will be effectively enhanced.

By 2030, the synergistic capacity to reduce pollution and carbon emissions will be significantly enhanced. Significant results will be achieved in synergistically promoting carbon peaking and air quality improvement in key areas of air pollution prevention and control. Remarkable improvements will be made to the synergistic management of water, soil, solid waste and other pollution prevention areas.

The Plan proposes key task measures in the following four areas to ensure the achievement of the goal.

• Strengthen the synergy of prevention and control at the source. Strengthen the control of ecological and environmental zones to build a policy system for reducing pollution and carbon emissions based on classification guidance and enhance the guidance of ecological and environmental improvement targets on energy and industrial arrangement. Strengthen access management of ecological environment, and strongly control the blind development of “high energy consumption and high emission” projects. Promote the green and low-carbon transformation of energy, implement alternative actions of renewable energy, and continuously increase the proportion of non-fossil energy consumption. Advocate a simple and moderate, green and low-carbon lifestyle.
• Highlight the key areas of synergy. Promote the reduction of pollution and carbon emission and synergy efficiency in industry, transportation, urban and rural construction, agriculture and ecological construction and other key areas. Accelerate the green development of the whole process in the industrial field. Build a low-carbon transportation system. Improve the quality of green and low-carbon development in urban and rural construction. Achieve ecological improvement, environmental expansion and carbon sink enhancement.
• Strengthen environmental governance synergy. Reinforce the synergy of measures for environmental pollution control and carbon emission reduction and promote reform and innovation in environmental governance. Enhance the synergistic emission reduction of conventional pollutants and GHG and promote the in-depth treatment of air pollution as well as energy-saving and carbon-reducing actions. Promote the resource utilization of sewage and improve the centralized or decentralized management and reuse of rural sewage in accordance with local conditions. Encourage green low-carbon soil restoration, strengthen resource recycling and comprehensive utilization, and enhance the “waste-free city” construction.

• Innovative management model of synergy. Carry out collaborative innovation in pollution reduction and carbon reduction in key areas, cities, parks and enterprises. At the regional level, strengthen structural adjustment, technological innovation and institutional mechanism innovation. At the city level, exploring different types of cities to promote mechanisms for reducing pollution and carbon emissions. Improve the economical and efficient use of resources and energy and the comprehensive use of waste in industrial parks. Support the creation of “double near-zero” emission benchmark enterprises.

In the third area ” strengthen environmental governance synergy”, it is mentioned that we should promote collaborative control of solid waste pollution prevention, involving the following points.

• Enhance resource recovery and comprehensive utilization and strengthen the “waste-free city” construction.
• Promote the use of coal gangue, fly ash, tailings, smelting slag and other industrial solid waste resources or alternative raw materials for building materials production. By 2025, the comprehensive utilization rate of new bulk solid waste reached 60%, the stock of bulk solid waste orderly reduction.
• Promote the recycling of retired power batteries, photovoltaic components, wind turbine blades and other new waste.
• Strengthen domestic waste reduction, resource and harmless treatment, promote waste segregation, optimize domestic waste treatment and disposal methods, strengthen the resource utilization of recyclables and kitchen waste, and continue to promote the construction of domestic waste incineration treatment capacity.
• Reduce organic waste landfills, strengthen the control of municipal waste landfills leachate, odor and GHG synergy, and promote the construction of landfill gas collection and utilization facilities.
• Steadily promote the diversified development and utilization of biomass energy in accordance with local conditions.
• Prohibit the illegal production of POPs and mercury-added products and reduce the production of solid waste containing hazardous and toxic chemical substances at source.

Source: 生态环境部等7部门联合印发《减污降碳协同增效实施方案》_中华人民共和国生态环境部 (mee.gov.cn)