China Expands Its National Carbon Emission Trading Scheme to More Industries

Urban shrinkage impedes carbon scale but increases carbon intensity in China

The pursuit of carbon neutrality in urban environments constitutes a multifaceted challenge, particularly within the framework of China's Dual Carbon Strategy that mandates coordinated reductions in both total carbon emissions and intensity (carbon emissions per unit of GDP). However, existing re...

China Expands Its National Carbon Emission Trading Scheme to More Industries

The scheme’s expansion to include the steel, cement, and aluminum smelting industries increases the program’s coverage to 60% of China’s total greenhouse gas emissions. By Paul A. Davies, JP Brisson, Michael Green, and Qingyi Pan On March 26, 2025, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (the MEE) published the “Work Plan for the National Carbon Emissions Trading Market Covering the Steel, Cement, and Aluminum Smelting Industries” (the Work …

It’s the second-most-used substance on Earth — and a major climate threat

Concrete built much of the modern world. It paves highways, shelters millions and forms the foundations of countless buildings. But cement, the crucial powder that serves as the binder in concrete, has become one of the planet’s biggest climate threats, generating about 8% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.  And now, efforts to curb its pollution are facing new political headwinds.Moves to decarbonize the cement industry picked up speed du…