Webinar - Low Carbon City Pilots: Experiences from China

Recognizing the role of cities in mitigating climate change, the webinar gave an overview of China’s pilot low carbon city initiative and China’s pilot carbon emissions trading system. China’s experience shows that emphasis is being laid on integrating sub-national low carbon development planning as well as on market-based strategies in accordance with the local conditions to enable technological leapfrogging along with sustainable development. As of now, the pilot cities have put in efforts in strengthening the tertiary sector, and have paid less attention to the sectors that involve high energy consumption, over pollution, and resource dependency. The Chinese experience depicts how these cities have explored the mode of low-carbon development that fits their local conditions by developing strategic emerging industries, promoting clean energy, increasing forest sinks, and advocating sustainable lifestyles and consumption models.