China Tightens Grip on Fossil Fuels Amid Record Rainfall

New Policies Target Fossil Fuel Consumption

China has issued a set of guiding opinions on energy conservation and carbon reduction, urging local governments to strictly control fossil-fuel consumption. Published on 22 April by state news agency Xinhua, the document signals a clear political push to reduce coal usage. Hu Min, director and co-founder of the Beijing-based Institute for Global Decarbonization Progress, told Carbon Brief that the opinions serve as a clear signal of leadership's desire to curb coal and a way to move things forward until more specific policies emerge. Government officials emphasized that the document holds great significance for building consensus across society, as noted by information platform Tanpaifang.

Increased Oversight and Accountability

The next day, the government unveiled new evaluation criteria for judging provinces on their climate efforts. According to Bloomberg, the 14 indicators focus on raising clean-energy consumption and limiting use of coal and oil. Energy news outlet China Energy Net reported that these metrics underscore China's key priorities and encourage broader carbon reduction. Qin Qi, China analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, told Carbon Brief that the system builds on existing inspections to create a much stronger accountability and compliance system. For more detail, see Carbon Brief’s Q&A on what the two policies mean for China’s energy transition.

A Rare High-Level Signal

Both documents were issued by the highest levels of China’s political system, which Wu Hongjie, deputy secretary-general of the China Carbon Neutrality 50 Forum, described as extremely rare and reflective of the strategic importance of China’s climate goals. In a commentary for finance news outlet Caixin, Chen Lihao – a member of the Jiusan Society, environment minister Huang’s political party – argued that the two documents form the institutional foundation for China’s full-scale transition to a dual control of carbon system.

Southern China Battles Extreme Rainfall

Heavy rainfall is pummeling central and southern China, with Hunan, Guizhou and Jiangxi provinces reporting record-breaking precipitation last week, according to the Communist party-affiliated People’s Daily. The government is ramping up flood control measures in response. On 26-27 April, one part of Guangxi province received as much as 14 centimeters of rain per hour, reported the state-supporting newspaper Global Times. Meanwhile, Chinese vice-premier Liu Guozhong met with the World Meteorological Organization to discuss weather challenges.

Internal anchor links: Jump to New Policies or Rainfall.