Chapter 3
Low-Carbon Transition (Peaking)
of Chinese Cities: The Case of Beijing
Jian Zhou and Shiyan Chang
Abstract The low-carbon transition (peaking) initiatives of Chinese cities will aim
at meeting SDG and climate change requirements. These cities set their unique
targets and paths for low-carbon transition (peaking) based on their own energy mix,
industrial structure and renewable energy endowment. Taking Beijing as an example,
this chapter analyses the trend of energy consumption and CO 2 emission under varied
policy measures and puts forward corresponding policy recommendations.
Keywords Low-carbon cities · Low-carbon transition · Peaking · Beijing
3.1 Analysis on Emission Peaking Target of Major Chinese
Cities in the Context of SDG and Climate Change 1
3.1.1 SDG’s Carbon Emission Targets at the City Level
Cities serve as the gateway for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity and
social development. At their best, cities uplift people socially and economically. But
challenges are commonplace: congestion, lack of funds to deliver basic services,
housing shortages and declining infrastructure. The current development and challenges are as follows: half of the world’s population, about 3.5 billion people, now
live in cities; by 2030, nearly 60% of the world’s population, or some 5 billion people,
will be urban dwellers; around 95% of urban expansion in the coming decades will
take place in developing countries; 828 million people now live in slums, and the
1 Authors of the section: Jian Zhou, Yucheng Lu.
J. Zhou (B) · S. Chang
Institute of Energy, Environment and Economy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: zhoujian@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
S. Chang
e-mail: changshiyan@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Tsinghua-Rio Tinto Joint Research Centre for Resources, Energy and Sustainable
Development, Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua
University, China’s Resources, Energy and Sustainable Development: 2020,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6100-3_3
63
Low-Carbon Transition (Peaking)
of Chinese Cities: The Case of Beijing
Jian Zhou and Shiyan Chang
Abstract The low-carbon transition (peaking) initiatives of Chinese cities will aim
at meeting SDG and climate change requirements. These cities set their unique
targets and paths for low-carbon transition (peaking) based on their own energy mix,
industrial structure and renewable energy endowment. Taking Beijing as an example,
this chapter analyses the trend of energy consumption and CO 2 emission under varied
policy measures and puts forward corresponding policy recommendations.
Keywords Low-carbon cities · Low-carbon transition · Peaking · Beijing
3.1 Analysis on Emission Peaking Target of Major Chinese
Cities in the Context of SDG and Climate Change 1
3.1.1 SDG’s Carbon Emission Targets at the City Level
Cities serve as the gateway for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity and
social development. At their best, cities uplift people socially and economically. But
challenges are commonplace: congestion, lack of funds to deliver basic services,
housing shortages and declining infrastructure. The current development and challenges are as follows: half of the world’s population, about 3.5 billion people, now
live in cities; by 2030, nearly 60% of the world’s population, or some 5 billion people,
will be urban dwellers; around 95% of urban expansion in the coming decades will
take place in developing countries; 828 million people now live in slums, and the
1 Authors of the section: Jian Zhou, Yucheng Lu.
J. Zhou (B) · S. Chang
Institute of Energy, Environment and Economy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: zhoujian@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
S. Chang
e-mail: changshiyan@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Tsinghua-Rio Tinto Joint Research Centre for Resources, Energy and Sustainable
Development, Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua
University, China’s Resources, Energy and Sustainable Development: 2020,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6100-3_3
63