In September 2021, with support from Energy Foundation China and the Institute of Energy at Peking University, the International Energy Agency (IEA) held a press conference to release this report. It lays out a pathway for achieving carbon neutrality in China’s energy sector, while exploring how this transition meets China’s broader development goals such as promoting prosperity, enhancing technological leadership, as well as shifting to innovation-based growth.

The pathway is consistent with the enhanced ambitions that China announced in 2020, in which carbon emissions reach a peak before 2030 and carbon neutrality is achieved before 2060. It also examines the effects of a faster transition and the socio-economic benefits beyond those associated with reducing the impact of climate change. For instance, under the Accelerated Transition Scenario, which would result in China’s carbon emissions declining to almost 20 percent below their current level by 2030, approximately one million additional jobs will be created through the emergence and strong growth of innovative technologies.

An international collaboration, this pathway research responded to China’s invitation to the IEA to cooperate on long-term climate strategies and was completed with inputs from many leading Chinese experts.