Annual Review of Low-Carbon Development in China (2011-2012)

This executive summary of the 'Annual Review of Low-Carbon Development in China (2011-2012)' evaluates China's performance during its 11th Five-Year Plan (FYP). It details the drivers behind the reduction in energy intensity, the effectiveness of various policy instruments, and the challenges facing the subsequent 12th FYP.

• During the 11th Five-Year Plan (FYP), China achieved a 19.06 percent reduction in energy intensity compared to a 2005 baseline, which is close to its 20 percent target. This reduction equals 630 Mtce of energy and avoided 1550 Mt CO2 of emissions. However, total emissions still rose by 33.6 percent, making China the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter.
• Technological advancements and economic structural changes were the primary drivers of low-carbon performance in the 11th FYP. Cleaner technologies accounted for approximately 69 percent of the 630 Mtce energy reduction, with focus areas including wind and solar energy, carbon capture, utilization, and storage, and higher-efficiency coal-fired power plants. Structural changes accounted for 23 percent (143 Mtce) of the reduction, though the rapid growth of the industrial sector added 51 Mtce to energy consumption and shifted high-emissions structures to western and northeastern China.
• China utilized a mix of policy instruments and significant funding to meet energy intensity targets. Incentive instruments were the most effective, reducing emissions by 777 Mt, followed by administrative instruments (473 Mt) and market instruments (15 Mt). Between 2009 and the end of the 11th FYP, China became the world's largest investor in clean energy and energy efficiency, with a cumulative investment of 2.59 trillion yuan (398.8 billion USD).
• The role of government and enterprises varied by scale and level. Local governments implemented central policies through target accountability systems and energy conservation funds, though regional competition for GDP growth often hindered low-carbon goals. Large enterprises reduced energy intensity via green credits and national funds, while small- and medium-sized enterprises were limited by a lack of government support.
• The 12th FYP targets—a 16 percent reduction in energy intensity and a 17 percent reduction in carbon intensity—face significant obstacles. These include rising marginal costs for energy conservation as 'low-hanging fruit' is exhausted, rapid urbanization and industrialization, and the difficulty of increasing the share of low-carbon energy sources relative to the speed of national energy demand growth.

APA

Climate Policy Initiative (2012). Annual Review of Low-Carbon Development in China (2011-2012). https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/China-Country-Study-ES-Updated.pdf

Chicago

Climate Policy Initiative. Annual Review of Low-Carbon Development in China (2011-2012). 2012. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/China-Country-Study-ES-Updated.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Policy Initiative |title=Annual Review of Low-Carbon Development in China (2011-2012) |date=30 January 2012 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/China-Country-Study-ES-Updated.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatepolicyinitiative2012annual, author = {{Climate Policy Initiative}}, title = {{Annual Review of Low-Carbon Development in China (2011-2012)}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2012}, month = jan, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/China-Country-Study-ES-Updated.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }