Actively and steadily promoting carbon neutralization and promoting green and low-carbon economic and social development is a long-term strategic task for our country to promote high-quality development and build harmonious symbiosis and modernization between man and nature in the new era. The double control system of carbon emissions is a key system to actively and steadily promote carbon peak carbon neutralization. Recently, the General Office of the State Council issued the work Plan for speeding up the Construction of a dual Control system for carbon emissions (No. 39 issued by the State Office (2024), hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), defining the tasks of building a systematic and complete dual control system for carbon emissions. this is a concrete measure to implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and the second and third Plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee. It is of great significance to actively and steadily promote carbon neutralization and speed up the all-round green transformation of economic and social development.

First, actively and steadily promote carbon peak carbon neutralization requirements and constantly innovate and strengthen institutional supply

     China's overall implementation of double control of energy consumption and carbon intensity control system, supporting energy conservation and carbon reduction work has achieved remarkable results. Since the Eleventh five-year Plan, China has taken the energy consumption intensity per unit of GDP as a binding index, and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP as a binding index since the 12th five-year Plan. And put forward a reasonable control of total energy consumption. From a practical point of view, this is both necessary and effective. Data show that from 2013 to 2023, China supported an average annual economic growth of about 6 per cent with an average annual growth rate of about 3 per cent, with a cumulative decline of about 26 per cent in energy intensity and remarkable results in energy conservation and carbon reduction.

     Party Central Committee and the State Council focus on the goal of carbon peak carbon neutralization, accurately grasp the changes of the situation, and adjust and optimize relevant policies and measures in a timely manner. The report of the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out that we should improve the regulation and control of the total amount and intensity of energy consumption, focus on controlling fossil energy consumption, and gradually shift to the "double control" system of total carbon emissions and intensity. The second meeting of the Central Committee for Comprehensive deepening Reform examined and approved the opinions on promoting the gradual shift from dual control of energy consumption to dual control of carbon emissions, and put forward a planned and step-by-step work arrangement and implementation path to promote institutional change. The third Plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee further called for the establishment of a new mechanism for the comprehensive transformation from dual control of energy consumption to double control of carbon emissions.

     implements the decision-making arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and constantly strengthens policy innovation and system supply. As a large developing country with a huge population, China has a great pressure on the rigid growth of energy demand and carbon emissions in the process of industrialization and urbanization. it is necessary to effectively reduce the intensity of carbon emissions per unit of gross domestic product and reasonably control the total amount of carbon emissions. the challenge is unprecedented. Compared with the energy demand of developed countries is generally saturated and carbon peak has been achieved, there is no ready-made experience of carbon control and carbon reduction in China, so we must take us as the main body to carry out institutional innovation. At the same time, with the profound evolution of the current world economy and energy pattern, technological innovation and industrial change are constantly accelerating, it is all the more necessary to speed up institutional innovation and constantly strengthen institutional supply in accordance with the development and changes of the situation.

Second, the construction of a dual control system for carbon emissions is an important guarantee for speeding up the all-round green transformation of economic and social development.

     first is to adhere to the system first, improve the carbon peak carbon neutralization top-level design. The system has the characteristics of overall situation and stability, and it is fundamental and long-term. As China's economic and social development has entered a high-quality development stage of accelerating green and low carbon, as an important factor of production, the integration of energy with the industrial sector and residents' life is deepening. Under the background of the increasing number of uncertain and unpredictable factors facing the current development, the "plan" anchors the carbon peak carbon neutralization target, and makes a comprehensive deployment for the establishment, decomposition and implementation of carbon emission double control targets, evaluation and assessment, industry and enterprise management, and product carbon footprint, which is of great significance for stabilizing the expectations of green and low-carbon development of the whole society, guiding the reform of production mode and the transformation of consumption pattern.

     second is to give full play to institutional advantages to better transform into the effectiveness of national governance. Achieving carbon peak carbon neutralization is not only an uphill battle, but also a big test of our party's ability to govern the country. China has a large population and uneven urban and rural development. In order to achieve the orderly replacement of high-carbon energy and low-carbon energy, and to achieve green and low-carbon coordinated transformation in various regions and industries, we need to constantly explore and innovate carbon emissions-related governance systems and governance methods. The "Plan" proposes to comprehensively clean up the contents of existing regulations and policies that are inconsistent with the requirements of double control of carbon emissions, and emphasizes that carbon emission targets and related requirements should be incorporated into national planning and strengthened with regional policies, industrial policies and carbon emission trading markets. at the same time, we will improve the management system of key energy-using units and carbon emission units, and establish a product carbon label certification system, which demonstrates China's efforts to actively deal with climate change. It is of great significance to reflect the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics.

Third,      pays attention to institutional convergence and promotes the transformation of green and low-carbon development in coordination. There are differences and connections between carbon emission double control system and energy consumption double control system. On the one hand, the double control system of carbon emissions has realized the transformation from energy to carbon in the design of key indicators. On the other hand, the dual control system of carbon emissions inherits and innovates on the basis of the dual control system of energy consumption from different levels such as countries, regions, industries, enterprises, projects and products, and pays attention to the convergence of institutional measures. to ensure the formation of institutional forces to accelerate the all-round green transformation of economic and social development.

Third, properly handle the relationship among the three aspects and further promote the development of new quality productive forces characterized by green and low carbon.

     one is to deal with the relationship between system design and practical exploration. The construction of dual control system of carbon emissions is a long-term systematic project, which cannot be achieved overnight. We must strengthen the top-level design, pay attention to overall planning, and advance steadily in stages and steps. At the same time, the level of development between regions and industries in China is different, carbon control and carbon reduction-related policies, technologies, forms of innovation are active, and there is a huge space to explore the dual control system of carbon according to local conditions. In the process of specific system construction, local governments and departments should be encouraged to carry out practical exploration, mobilize the initiative and creativity of all aspects, and timely promote the transformation of useful experiences and practices into long-term institutional measures.

    The second is to properly handle the relationship between institutional constraints and incentive mechanisms. The construction of a dual carbon emission control system must not only ensure the completion of the binding goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, but also retain certain flexibility and flexibility to adapt to new situations such as cyclical fluctuations in the economy, technological innovation and uncertainties in the development and changes of the industrial pattern. situation. At the same time, we must focus on green and low-carbon industries, green consumption, disruptive technological innovation and future industrial development, strive to strengthen institutional innovation and policy guarantees, and effectively exert the guiding and stimulating role of dual carbon emission control in the development of green productivity.

    The third is to properly handle the relationship between system construction and implementation and effectiveness. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the vitality of the system lies in execution. The construction of a dual carbon emission control system involves a wide range of areas. We must adhere to goal orientation and problem orientation, promptly fill in gaps and gaps, improve those that are not comprehensive enough as soon as possible, and promote them in a mature, effective and timely manner. In the process of system construction, opinions and suggestions from all parties must be extensively solicited and fully absorbed to improve the pertinence and operability of system measures. At the same time, we will coordinate the establishment of rules and regulations and consolidate basic capabilities, strengthen the construction of basic capabilities such as carbon emission-related statistical monitoring and management systems, and ensure that various systems are implemented and effective. (Author: Lu Wenbin, Institute of Energy, China Academy of Macroeconomics, Tian Zhiyu) Source: National Development and Reform Commission