Beijing ‘hit peak carbon emissions in 2012 due to war on pollution’

Research from ‘authoritative institute’ shows significant drop in capital’s emissions from 2013, according to People’s Daily

Expert says Beijing was at an advantage to take action since being the capital made it easier to get policies and funding

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Beijing’s carbon emissions have reportedly declined because of efforts to tackle air pollution. Photo: TPG/Getty Images

Published: 9:30pm, 17 Jun 2021Updated: 9:30pm, 17 Jun 2021

Beijing has reportedly reached peak carbon emissions well ahead of schedule, but an environmental expert says it is an achievement other Chinese cities may have difficulty replicating.

A report in Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily cited research from an “authoritative institute” that showed the capital hit peak emissions in 2012 – eight years before President Xi Jinping announced China’s target of reaching the peak before 2030. It said emissions had significantly declined since 2013.

“Beijing’s carbon emissions peaked in 2012 and because of the Clean Air Action Plan implemented in 2013, carbon emissions dropped significantly in 2014 and 2015,” according to the report on Wednesday.

It said emissions rose slightly from 2016 to 2019 due to growth in the aviation sector, but total emissions were lower than in 2012. Beijing’s energy consumption and emissions fell further last year because of the pandemic.

Beijing closed its four coal-fired power plants and replaced them with gas-fired power. Photo: Reuters

The municipal government’s war on air pollution played a key role in the city reaching peak emissions, according to environmental experts.

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