In September 2023, with the support of Energy Foundation China, the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning released this report discussing how China can co-manage criteria pollutants and carbon emissions from vehicles, with an estimation of the co-benefits.

Motor vehicles are a significant source of both carbon dioxide and atmospheric pollutants emissions, making their zero emissions of vital importance to China’s aspirations of achieving a “Beautiful China” and realizing the dual goals of carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. This report researches on how much carbon and criteria pollution need to be reduced in the context of these aspirations, what the regional pathways are for cleaning motor vehicles from 2020 to 2035, and how significant are the corresponding carbon mitigation, pollution reduction, air quality improvement, and environmental health benefits.

Based on an analysis of the predicted emissions of carbon and criteria pollutants under various scenarios with different cleaning pathways and an assessment of the environmental health benefits associated with these different pathways, the report also offers policy recommendations to promote China’s transition toward zero emission motor vehicles.