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Climate change

China's "Two Mountains" Vision: Balancing Economic Growth with Environmental Protection

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As China continues to strive for strong economic growth, its efforts to adopt sustainable clean-energy policies and reduce carbon dioxide emissions are yielding impressive results. According to Carbon Brief, China's carbon dioxide emissions in the first quarter of 2025 fell 1.6 percent from a year earlier, marking the first time emissions reduction has occurred during a period of strong growth. This achievement is attributed to China's commitment to reducing emissions and increasing the use of non-fossil fuels, which rose to 19.7 percent of total consumption in 2023 from 7.4 percent in 2005. Additionally, China's national carbon trading market, the largest in the world, covers over 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Key Takeaways:

  • China's carbon dioxide emissions in the first quarter of 2025 fell 1.6 percent from a year earlier, marking the first time emissions reduction has occurred during a period of strong growth.
  • China has increased the use of non-fossil fuels to 19.7 percent of total consumption in 2023 from 7.4 percent in 2005.
  • The national carbon trading market, the largest in the world, covers over 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
  • China's GDP soared to 134.9 trillion yuan last year from 18.5 trillion yuan in 2005, creating the world's largest middle class, and per-capita disposable income surged sixfold.
  • Forest coverage in China increased to 24.7 percent last year from 20.4 percent in 2005, adding over 45 million hectares of new forests, and surface water that meets good quality standards jumped to 90 percent from 36 percent.
  • China's "two mountains" vision has created a national strategy that shapes the lives of farmers, entrepreneurs, and households.

*-China's efforts to adopt sustainable clean-energy policies and reduce carbon dioxide emissions include increasing output from "green" factories to over 40 percent of manufacturing by 2030 and developing new development models that balance nature and prosperity.

Statistics:

  • 1.6% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in the first quarter of 2025 from a year earlier.
  • 19.7% of total consumption of non-fossil fuels in 2023.
  • 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions covered by the national carbon trading market.
  • 134.9 trillion yuan GDP in 2023 (134.9 trillion yuan).
  • 18.5 trillion yuan GDP in 2005.
  • 24.7% increase in forest coverage from 20.4% in 2005 to 2023.
  • 45 million hectares of new forests added.
  • 90% of surface water that meets good quality standards in 2023 (90%).
  • 36% of surface water that meets good quality standards in 2005.
  • 7.4% of total consumption of non-fossil fuels in 2005.
  • 3.5 trillion kilowatt-hours of renewable power generation in 2023 (3.5 trillion kilowatt-hours).

Sources:

  • Carbon Brief (as stated in the original text).
  • Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (the author is an associate researcher at this institution).

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