(Source: Jiemian News 2026-04-25)
On April 23, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council officially issued the "Assessment Methods for Comprehensive Assessment of Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality" (hereinafter referred to as the "Assessment Methods"). This important document, which was reviewed and approved by the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, is divided into six chapters and 25 articles.
As China’s first “Dual Carbon” comprehensive evaluation and assessment method, the “Assessment Method” will be implemented from 2026, marking a new milestone in China’s “Dual Carbon” work.
Unprecedented specifications
The "Assessment Methods" break the rules in terms of system design. In the past, environmental protection and climate policies were mostly led by administrative departments, but this document was reviewed by the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and coordinated and guided by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee.
“This kind of ‘top-level design + organizational department-led’ setup is extremely rare in the field of environmental protection and climate change. Wu Hongjie, deputy secretary-general of the China Carbon Neutrality Forum of 50, told Jiemian News that this fully reflects the strategic importance of the "double-carbon" goal, which is related to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation and the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. It sends a signal that the whole country is working together and leveraging institutional advantages to promote dual-carbon work.
At the same time, further promote local party committees and governments to establish a correct view of political performance, shoulder the responsibility of reaching carbon peak and carbon neutrality, be a promising government, and provide incentives for good work and punishment for bad work.
Dong Xiucheng, Executive Dean of the China International Carbon Neutral Economic Research Institute, w88 casinoIt is also described as "really rare". He said that incorporating "double carbon" into the cadre assessment and appointment system will consolidate the shared responsibilities of the party and government and send a signal that "double carbon" has become a core political task. This marks the shift from a flexible policy to a rigid constraint on dual carbon, forcing all regions to undergo a comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation.
This institutional design that incorporates climate goals into the ruling party’s cadre evaluation system is unique among major economies in the world.
Dong XiuchengAnalytics believe that in the short term, it may increase the compliance costs of domestic enterprises in carbon control and carbon accounting; but in the long term, it will help domestic integration with international green rules such as the EU CBAM, which will force low-carbon industry upgrades, unify accounting standards, reduce dual compliance pressures, and enhance the green competitiveness of export products.
“5+9” indicator system
The "Assessment Methods" construct a complete assessment system with 5 control indicators + 9 supporting indicators, covering total carbon emissions, carbon emission intensity reduction, total coal consumption, total oil consumption, proportion of non-fossil energy consumption, energy conservation, industry, construction, transportation, carbon market, etc.
Wu Hongjie explained that the 9 support indicators are a more detailed version of the 5 control indicators, which extend green and low-carbon requirements to all important fields and key links of economic and social development, making the work directions of various localities and relevant departments clearer and more synergistic.
Dong XiuchengFurther summarize the two as "goal-path" closed-loop control indicators lock in the total amount and structure of carbon emissions, fossil energy, and are the decisive constraints for reaching the peak; support indicators provide industry starting points and process support for the control indicators to reach standards, ensuring that the goals can be implemented and traceable.
atDong XiuchengIt seems that the inclusion of 14 assessment indicators in the assessment is mainly based on three reasons. The first is to focus on the core + full coverage. The five control indicators directly hit the core of "double carbon control and energy transformation"; the nine support indicators extend to all aspects of the economy and society to avoid "single troops rushing in".
The second is strong restraint + heavy coordination, which not only sets up hard levers but also guides the linkage of multiple departments to form an "energy-industry-construction-transportation" coordinated emission reduction pattern; the third is explicit guidance + assessable, shifting from "dual control of energy consumption" to "dual control of carbon", with quantified indicators and assigned responsibilities to individuals, which meets the needs of assessment of the same responsibility of the party and government.
However, no matter how perfect the indicator system is, without strong punishment, it can easily become nothing more than just talk on paper. Article 15 of the "Assessment Measures" directly clarifies: For provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) that fail to meet the standards for one or more control indicators or that fail to meet the standards for three or more support indicators, the assessment results will be "unqualified".
Dong Xiuchengbelieves that this "one-vote veto" design is reasonable and necessary. The control indicators are related to the success or failure of reaching the peak in 2030. Failure to meet the standards means failure, which is a bottom-line constraint. The advantage is to demonstrate the determination of the Party Central Committee, force local "top leaders" to pay attention, put an end to "soft implementation", and ensure that the core goals do not deviate. The disadvantage is that in the short term, it may lead to local "campaign emission reduction", which needs to be supported by differentiated goals and dynamic early warning.
Differentiated assessmentDifferent provinces have huge differences in development stages and resource endowments. How to avoid “one size fits all”?
Wu Hongjie said that the "Assessment Method" stipulates that the goals should be decomposed in a top-down manner, and each locality will propose goals based on local conditions and reality in accordance with the unified work requirements of the country. The reason for this design is to fully consider the different development stages and resource endowments of different provinces.
He also pointed out that each province should accelerate the transformation of energy consumption and accelerate the optimal allocation of industries according to provincial conditions, so as to ultimately achieve common prosperity for the whole society, regardless of east and west, and north and south. Each province should determine its own dual-carbon path based on its own goals and tasks. Follow the determined dual-carbon path to develop industries that match the green resources of your province and strengthen the local economy.
However,Dong Xiuchengalso reminded that there is still the risk of one-size-fits-all and layer-by-layer overloading in the system. For example, some places may simply limit production and energy, and make sudden emission reductions in order to complete assessment indicators, which is divorced from local reality and increases the burden of transformation.
“Each province should scientifically balance development and dual carbon constraints. ”Dong XiuchengIt is recommended that energy provinces rely on their resource advantages to promote clean utilization of coal and extend the new energy industry chain; developed coastal provinces rely on their technological and financial advantages to take the lead in deeply reducing carbon emissions and developing low-carbon industries.
All localities should abandon short-term radical emission reductions, coordinate the upgrading of traditional industries and the cultivation of emerging green industries, improve supporting policies, and achieve steady economic growth and coordinated advancement of carbon peaking tasks through gradual transformation.
New energy and carbon markets welcome golden development period
With the implementation of the assessment methods, related industries will also usher in a profound reshaping of the pattern.
The "Assessment Methods" clearly state that "strive to gradually cover the new electricity consumption of the entire society with new clean energy electricity", and the supporting indicators also mention the "proportion of new clean energy electricity in the annual new electricity consumption".
Wu Hongjie pointed out that this formulation means significant development opportunities for the new energy industry. By 2035, China's wind and solar installed capacity will strive to reach 3.6 billion kilowatts, and the country will gradually establish a new energy power system. With the greening and low-carbonization of energy production, the demand for low-carbonization of energy consumption will inevitably accelerate.
“Therefore, as the demand for new energy increases, more investors will inevitably be stimulated to join this round of new energy investment boom.” He said.
“Wind and solar storage are experiencing rigid incremental demand, and energy storage has become a rigid need for grid connection. The policy locks in the dominant position of new energy, which will leverage local and social capital to increase investment and generate a new round of new energy investment boom.”Dong XiuchengAt the same time, it is emphasized that blind expansion, insufficient consumption and overcapacity need to be guarded against.
While the investment side is enjoying good times, another large market-oriented network, the national carbon market, has also been given a new mission. “Carbon emission control targets for industries covered by the national carbon emissions trading market” are clearly included in the supporting indicators.
Dong Xiuchengbelieves that the carbon market will be included in the assessment, and quota allocation, transaction performance, and carbon price performance will directly affect local scores. It has forced local governments to urge companies to proactively control emissions and w88, and accelerate the inclusion of steel, building materials and other industries into the carbon market. At the same time, we will promote the optimization of the quota mechanism, restart CCER, and improve the system to fully activate the vitality of the carbon market and strengthen the role of market-based emission reduction.
“The construction of carbon market is one of the planned tasks of the national dual carbon mission. Carbon price is one of the batons for dual-carbon work. The carbon market will also be gradually expanded and improved as planned. "In Wu Hongjie's view, the country emphasizes the combination of effective markets and promising governments, and punishes those companies and individuals that do not comply with the rules of the carbon market. Local governments should vigorously supervise and assist all local key emission units to fulfill their annual obligations on time and in quantity, rather than artificially interfering with the carbon market.
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