Emissions reduction measures must be rational

During his discussions with fellow deputies of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region delegation taking part in the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing on Saturday, President Xi Jinping pointed out that the carbon emissions reduction work must be based on the country's actual situation, and must be carried out progressively to maintain stability. He said that the realization of the objectives of peaking emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060 should not be divorced from reality, or rely on campaign-style movements.

President Xi added that it does not make sense to give up the old means of subsistence before a new one works. In saying that some localities are "off track" in seeking quick success in reducing emissions, Xi was reminding all local authorities to always bear in mind the actual conditions of their respective jurisdictions as well as people's needs.

In August last year, the National Development and Reform Commission said that some local governments adopted a one-size-fits-all approach to shut down all energy consuming projects overnight, and some financial agencies suspended loans to coal power projects in a bid to cut emissions in a short time. As such, some places suspended power supplies because of the shortage of electricity, which exposes the negative consequences of such emissions reduction campaigns.

To reduce emissions, the authorities need to take various practical factors into consideration, such as the energy supply pattern, industrial structure and residents' actual demand for energy, which makes the emissions reduction work a systemic issue concerning social development and people's livelihoods. Local governments need to press ahead with the work in a step-by-step manner in light of local conditions.

It is good to see that the Government Work Report gives more specific guidance and requirements for the work, emphasizing accelerating the development of renewable energy and advancing the development of green manufacturing and establishing a service system for green development. That's the rational way to do the work.

Local governments need to take multiple measures to lay a solid foundation and provide space and technical support for the reduction of carbon emissions. This is a comprehensive and complex project that requires scientific and procedural attention.

The work is essentially a test of local governments' governance capacities. The governments at different levels are not only supervisors, but more importantly servers, supporters and promoters of the process.