Xi stresses promoting the gradual transition from control the total amount and intensity of energy consumption to control those of carbon emissions

BEIJING, July 11 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday presided over the second meeting of the Central Commission for Comprehensively Deepening Reform (CCCDR). A series of documents were examined and approved at the meeting. They include Opinions on Establishing New Systems for a Higher-level Open Economy to Build a New Development Paradigm, Implementation Plans on Deepening Rural Reform, Opinions on Promoting the Gradual Transition from Control of Total Amount and Intensity of Energy Consumption to Control of Total Amount and Intensity of Carbon Emissions, Opinions on Pilot Reform of Remuneration System in Higher Education Institutions and Research Institutes, Opinions on Deepening Reform of the Oil and Gas Market System and Strengthening the Capacity for National Oil and Gas Security, and Guiding Opinions on Deepening Power System Reform and Accelerating the Building of a New Power Industry.

Since the country's building of an ecological civilization has entered a critical period with carbon reduction as a key strategic task, it is imperative to improve the control of total energy consumption and intensity, so as to gradually shift to a system for controlling both the total amount and intensity of carbon emissions.

It was noted at the meeting that since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have given high priority to green and low-carbon development, energy conservation and emissions reduction, and established and implemented the system for controlling both the total amount and intensity of energy consumption. As a result, our country's energy consumption efficiency has greatly increased while the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions has considerably decreased. To transit from controlling the total amount and intensity of energy consumption to controlling those of carbon emissions, it's imperative to stick to the principle of building the new before discarding the old, refine the system for controlling the intensity and total amount of energy consumption, optimize and improve the methods of doing so, strengthen the basic capacity of controlling the intensity and total amount of carbon emissions, and improve all the relevant mechanisms in this regard, so as to create favorable conditions for establishing and implementing the system for controlling both the total amount and intensity of carbon emissions. We must remain committed to prioritizing resource conservation and do a good job in this regard at a higher level with higher quality, so as to get maximum returns at minimum cost. It is imperative to do our work in a stable manner, coordinate the relationship between development and emissions reduction, be realistic, do everything within our capacity and soundly adjust and improve the policies and measures.