新闻
New carbon emissions’ reduction regulations and possible co-benefits for air pollution abatement
While no major new national environmental pollution abatement target or measures have been released during this quarter, new advances on controlling GHGs may have co-benefits for air quality. The Measures for the Administration of Greenhouse Gas Voluntary Emission Reduction Trading (Trial) relaunch the CCER market that may support the decarbonization of economic activities beyond the ETS, and the Opinions on Promoting the Gradual Shift from Dual Control of Energy Consumption to Dual Control of Carbon Emissions move a step forward in the direction of establishing administrative targets for local governments and industries aimed precisely at carbon emissions instead of energy consumption. Research has suggested that carbon emission reduction policies may have a co-benefit for air pollution abatement. For instance, one study showed that if China achieved carbon neutrality by 2060, its emissions of SO2, NOx, Primary PM2.5, and VOCs would reduce by 42%, 42%, 44% and 28% in 2030, and by 93%, 93%, 90% and 61% in 2060 compared to 2019 levels.