Environmental Science and Ecotechnology (May 2024)

The 2022 report of synergetic roadmap on carbon neutrality and clean air for China: Accelerating transition in key sectors

  • Yu Lei,
  • Zhicong Yin,
  • Xi Lu,
  • Qiang Zhang,
  • Jicheng Gong,
  • Bofeng Cai,
  • Cilan Cai,
  • Qimin Chai,
  • Huopo Chen,
  • Renjie Chen,
  • Shi Chen,
  • Wenhui Chen,
  • Jing Cheng,
  • Xiyuan Chi,
  • Hancheng Dai,
  • Xiangzhao Feng,
  • Guannan Geng,
  • Jianlin Hu,
  • Shan Hu,
  • Cunrui Huang,
  • Tiantian Li,
  • Wei Li,
  • Xiaomei Li,
  • Jun Liu,
  • Xin Liu,
  • Zhu Liu,
  • Jinghui Ma,
  • Yue Qin,
  • Dan Tong,
  • Xuhui Wang,
  • Xuying Wang,
  • Rui Wu,
  • Qingyang Xiao,
  • Yang Xie,
  • Xiaolong Xu,
  • Tao Xue,
  • Haipeng Yu,
  • Da Zhang,
  • Ning Zhang,
  • Shaohui Zhang,
  • Shaojun Zhang,
  • Xian Zhang,
  • Xin Zhang,
  • Zengkai Zhang,
  • Bo Zheng,
  • Yixuan Zheng,
  • Jian Zhou,
  • Tong Zhu,
  • Jinnan Wang,
  • Kebin He

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19
p. 100335

Abstract

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China is now confronting the intertwined challenges of air pollution and climate change. Given the high synergies between air pollution abatement and climate change mitigation, the Chinese government is actively promoting synergetic control of these two issues. The Synergetic Roadmap project was launched in 2021 to track and analyze the progress of synergetic control in China by developing and monitoring key indicators. The Synergetic Roadmap 2022 report is the first annual update, featuring 20 indicators across five aspects: synergetic governance system and practices, progress in structural transition, air pollution and associated weather-climate interactions, sources, sinks, and mitigation pathway of atmospheric composition, and health impacts and benefits of coordinated control. Compared to the comprehensive review presented in the 2021 report, the Synergetic Roadmap 2022 report places particular emphasis on progress in 2021 with highlights on actions in key sectors and the relevant milestones. These milestones include the proportion of non-fossil power generation capacity surpassing coal-fired capacity for the first time, a decline in the production of crude steel and cement after years of growth, and the surging penetration of electric vehicles. Additionally, in 2022, China issued the first national policy that synergizes abatements of pollution and carbon emissions, marking a new era for China's pollution-carbon co-control. These changes highlight China's efforts to reshape its energy, economic, and transportation structures to meet the demand for synergetic control and sustainable development. Consequently, the country has witnessed a slowdown in carbon emission growth, improved air quality, and increased health benefits in recent years.

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