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pilotprojectwasimplementedacrossatotalareaof181,000hectares.Bytheendoftheyear,theoutstandingbalanceofforestlandmortgageloanshadreachedRMB153.3billion¹.

4.Advancingeffortstowardspeakcarbonemissionsandcarbonneutrality

In2023,Chinashifteditsfocusfromcontrollingthetotalamountandintensi-tyofenergyconsumptiontocontrollingthetotalamountandintensityofcarbonemissions.Thisinvolvedrefiningthenationalcarbontradingsystem,launchingpilotprogramsaimedatachievingpeakcarbonemissions,anddemonstratingin-novativegreenandlow-carbontechnologies.Furthermore,thegroundworkwaslaidforacomprehensivepolicyframeworktomanagecarbonfootprints,advanc-ingprogresstowardspeakcarbonemissionsandcarbonneutralitygoals.

(1)Ashiftfromcontrollingthetotalamountandintensityofenergyconsumptiontocontrollingthetotalamountandintensityofcarbonemissions

ThesecondmeetingoftheCommissionforFurtherReformundertheCPCCentralCommitteereviewedandendorsedtheGuidelinesonPromotingtheGradualTransitionfromControllingtheTotalAmountandIntensityofEnergyConsumptiontoControllingtheTotalAmountandIntensityofCarbonEmis-sions.Thisdocumentoutlinesasystematicplanfortransitioningfromenergyconsumptioncontrolstocarbonemissioncontrols,andsetsforthaphasedapproachforthisshift,enhancingthecurrentenergyconsumptioncontrolsystem

OfficeoftheNationalGreeningCommission:“BulletinontheStatusofChina'sLandGreeningin2023”,Chin.ed.,StateCouncilwebsite,March12,2024.

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whilestrengtheningthenecessaryinfrastructureandregulatoryframeworkforcarbonemissioncontrols.Thedocumentfurtherdefinesthepolicytocurbcarbonemissionsandrelianceonhigh-carbonenergysources,signalingagreaterfocusondevelopingandutilizingrenewableenergy.Inthelongterm,thedocumentwillprovideinstitutionalguaranteestofostercoordinatedprogressincarbonreduction,energytransition,andeconomicgrowth,ensuringameasuredapproachtowardsachievingpeakcarbonemissionsandcarbonneutrality.

(2)Improvingthenationalcarbontradingsystem

Effortstorefinethenationalcarbonemissionstradingmarketsystemcontinuedthroughout2023,withafocusonsupervisingandenhancingthequalityofcarbonemissionsreportingdata.Thesecondphaseofcarbonmonitoringandevaluationpilotswaslaunched,improvingthetechnicalguidelinesandstandardsforcarbonmonitoringandtherebyenhancingthescientificaccuracyofusingmonitoringdatatoverifyaccountingdata.Carbonemissionsreportingandverificationactivitieswereadvancedinkeysectors,includingpetrochemicals,chemicals,constructionmaterials,steel,non-ferrousmetals,papermaking,andcivilaviation,tosetthestageforexpandingthesectoralcoverageofthecarbonmarket.

Progresswasmadeindevelopinganationalvoluntarycarbonmarket,markedbytheissuanceoftheManagementMeasuresforVoluntaryGreenhouseGasEmissionReductionTrading(ForTrialImplementation)¹andtheNoticeontheArrangementofWorkintheNationalGreenhouseGasVoluntaryEmissionRe-ductionTradingMarket².Methodologiesforvoluntarycarbonemissionreductionprojects,suchasafforestationcarbonsinks,grid-connectedsolar-thermalpower

MinistryofEcologyandEnvironmentetal.:"ManagementMeasuresforVoluntaryGreenhouseGasEmissionReductionTrading(ForTrialImplementation)”,Chin.ed.,October19,2023.

²MinistryofEcologyandEnvironment:"NoticeontheArrangementofWorkintheNationalGreen-houseGasVoluntaryEmissionReductionTradingMarket”,Chin.ed.,October24,2023.

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generation,grid-connectedoffshorewindpowergeneration,andmangroveplant-ing,aswellasrulesforvoluntarycarbonemissionstrading,settlement,registra-tion,andrecordation,werereleased.Thesedevelopmentspavethewayfortheofficiallaunchofthenationalvoluntarycarbonemissionstradingmarket.

(3)Launchingpilotprogramsforreachingpeakcarbonemissionsanddemonstratinggreenlow-carbontechnologies

TheNationalPeakCarbonEmissionsPilotConstructionPlanwasissuedinNovember,proposing100representativecitiesandindustrialparksnationwidetoactaspilotzonesforreachingpeakcarbonemissions.Thisplanisdesignedtoexplorefeasiblepathwaysforcitiesandparkswithvaryingresourceendow-mentsanddevelopmentalbases,offeringoperable,replicable,andscalablemodelsfortherestofthecountry.InNovember2023,afteranNDRCevaluation,Zhangjiakouwasselectedasoneof25peakcarbonemissionspilotcities,andChangzhiHigh-TechIndustrialDevelopmentZonewaschosenasoneof10peakcarbonemissionspilotparksinthefirstbatchofpilotzones.

TheImplementationPlanforDemonstrationProjectsofAdvancedGreenand

Low-CarbonTechnologieswasalsoreleased,openingtheapplicationprocessfortheinitialsetofdemonstrationprojectsandexpeditingthedemonstrationandap-plicationofadvancedandapplicablegreenandlow-carbontechnologies.Thekeytechnologicaldirectionswerecategorizedintosourcecarbonreduction,processcarbonreduction,andend-of-pipecarbonfixation.Focusingonthefrontiersofgreenandlow-carbonscienceandtechnologyinnovationinsectorssuchasen-ergy,industry,construction,andtransportation,theplanincludesadvancedandapplicabletechnologiesthatareclosetomaturitybuthavenotyetbeencommer-ciallydeployed.Thisapproachprovidesapathwayfortheircommercialization,facilitatingthetransitionfromresearchtopracticalapplication.

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(4)Refiningthepolicyframeworkformanagingcarbonfootprints

TheGuidelinesfortheEstablishmentofaStandardSystemforPeakCarbonEmissionsandCarbonNeutralitywasissuedinApril,emphasizingthedevelop-mentneedsinareassuchascarbonreduction,carbonremoval,andcarbonmarketmechanisms.Theseguidelinesproposeestablishingacomprehensivestandardsys-temforreachingpeakcarbonemissionsandcarbonneutralityacrosskeysectors,includingenergy,industry,transportation,urbanandruraldevelopment,waterresources,agriculture,forestry,andfinance.Furthermore,theGuidelinesonAc-celeratingtheEstablishmentofaProductCarbonFootprintManagementSystemwasintroduced,whichadvocateforcreatingstandardstocalculateproductcarbonfootprints,developingacomprehensivecarbonfootprintdatabase,establishingaproductcarbonlabelingcertificationsystem,expandingtheapplicationscenariosofproductcarbonfootprints,andaligningcarbonfootprintpracticesinternational-lyformutualrecognition.Thesemeasuresaimtofosteraproductcarbonfootprintmanagementsystemthatissuitedtonationalconditions,guidingthetransitionto-wardsgreenerandmoresustainableproductionandlifestylechoices.

(5)Introducingpoliciesformethanemanagement

TheActionPlanforMethaneEmissionsControlwasunveiledinNovember,whichsetmethaneemissioncontrolgoalsforkeysectorsby2030.Theactionplanhighlightstheimportanceofenhancingtheframeworkformethaneemissionsmonitoring,reporting,andverification,andcallsforexpeditingmethaneemissioncontrolactionsinsectorssuchascoalmining,oilandgasproduction,agriculture,andwastemanagement.ItlaysoutasystematicplanforChina'seffortstocontrolmethaneemissionsovertheupcomingperiod.

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II.NewAchievementsinGreenDevelopment

ThepaceofgreentransformationinChina'seconomicandsocialdevelopmentcontinuedtoacceleratethroughout2023,withnewprogressseeninareassuchasenvironmentalpollutioncontrol,ecosystemquality,low-carbondevelopment,andinternationalcooperation.

1.Acceleratinggreendevelopmentineconomicandsocialsectors

TheeconomicalandintensiveutilizationofresourcesinChinahascontinuedtoincrease,andtherapiddevelopmentofgreenfinancehasfurtherfacilitatedthecountry'sgreentransformation.Greenconsumptionhascontinuedtoexpand,andthe“greencontent”ofeconomicandsocialdevelopmenthascontinuedtogrow.

(1)Acontinuousgreentransformationoftheindustrialstructure

Therecoveryoftheservicessectorandthestronggrowthofmodernserviceshavebothbolsteredthegreentransition.In2023,thevalue-addedoftheservicessectorincreasedby5.8percentyearonyear,accountingforanincreaseof1.2percentagepointsinitsshareofGDP.Thisraisedthecontributionratetonationaleconomicgrowthto60.2percent.Theconstructionofgreenfactories,greenindus-trialparks,andgreensupplychainsaccelerated,unleashinganewdrivingforceforgreengrowth.Atthenationallevel,atotalof5,095greenfactories,371greenindustrialparks,605enterprisesengagedingreensupplychainmanagement,and

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nearly35,000greenproductshavebeendeveloped¹.

(2)Moreeconomicalandintensiveutilizationofresources

AccordingtotheNationalBureauofStatisticsandtheMinistryofWaterResources,China'stotalwaterconsumptionin2023was590.7billioncubicme-ters,adecreaseof1.5percentfromthepreviousyear;thewaterconsumptionperRMB10,000ofGDPandthewaterconsumptionperRMB10,000ofindustrialvalue-addeddecreasedby6.4percentand3.9percent,respectively.Theeffectiveutilizationcoefficientofirrigationwaterinfarmlandroseto0.576,andtheeffi-ciencyandbenefitsofwaterusecontinuedtoimprove.Thecomprehensiveenergyconsumptionperunitcalciumcarbidebykeyenergy-intensiveindustrialenterpris-esfellby0.8percent,andperunitelectrolyticaluminumwasdownby0.1percentonthepreviousyear.Thestandardcoalconsumptionperkilowatt-hourofthermalpowergenerationdecreasedby0.2percent.ThenationalenergyconsumptionperRMB10,000ofGDPdecreasedby0.5percent.DatafromtheMinistryofNaturalResourcesshowsthatin2023,over8millionmu,orabout533,000hectaresofun-usedandidleland,wasrevitalized.Thefirstbatchof258demonstrationcountiesorcitiesfortheeconomicalandintensiveuseofnaturalresourceswasannounced,including183forlandresources,57formineralresources,and18formarineresources.Inaddition,Chinacontinuedtoincreasetherecyclingandutilizationofrenewableresources,withtheamountofscrapsteelreusedinChinain2023increasingto260milliontonnes,meetingmorethan20percentofcrudesteel

OfficeoftheMinistryofIndustryandInformationTechnology:"NoticeonPublishingtheListofGreenManufacturingfor2023andthePilotImplementationof'GreenCodes'forEnterprises”,Chin.ed.,December29,2023.

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productionneeds'.

(3)Rapiddevelopmentofgreenfinance

Astheworld'slargestmarketforgreencredit,Chinamaintainedstronggrowthmomentuminitsgreencreditsectorin2023,underscoringitsleadershipinglobalgreenfinance.AccordingtothePeople'sBankofChina,asoftheendof2023,thebalanceofdomesticandforeigncurrencygreenloansrosebyRMB8.48tril-liontoreachRMB30.08trillion,representingayear-on-yearincreaseof36.5percent,26.4percentagepointshigherthanthegrowthrateofallothertypesofloans.Amongtheseloans,thoseforprojectswithdirectandindirectcarbonemis-sionreductionbenefitsamountedtoRMB10.43trillionandRMB9.81trillion,respectively,accountingforatotalof67.3percentofallgreenloans.Theamountofgreenbondsissuedremainedatahighlevel.AccordingtotheReportontheOperationoftheGreenBondMarketin2023,atotalof1,310“greeninvestment”bondswereissuedduringtheyear,withatotalissuancevolumeofRMB1,675.5billion.Ofthistotal,RMB844.8billionwerelabeledgreenbonds,andRMB830.7billionwereunlabeledgreenbonds².Thegreeninsurancemarketalsoexperiencedgrowth.AccordingtotheStateAdministrationforMarketRegulation,China'sgreeninsurancepremiumincomereachedRMB229.7billionin2023,withclaimspayoutstotalingRMB121.46billion.

(4)Significantresultsinthegreentransformationofkeyconsump-tionareas

In2023,China'sgreenconsumermarketexperiencedrapidgrowth.The

1“ZhengShanjieTakesReporters'QuestionsatthePressConferenceonEconomicIssuesattheSecondSessionofthe14thNPC”,Chin.ed.,NationalDevelopmentandReformCommissionwebsite,March6,2024.

²ShangJin,WeiYujia,ZhangJintao:“ReportontheOperationoftheGreenBondMarketin2023”,Chin.ed.,ChinaBond,2024(2),pp.57-65.

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marketpenetrationrateforNEVsinbothurbanandruralareasroseto31.6per-cent,anincreaseof5.9percentagepointsfrom2022,markingtheninthconsecu-tiveyearthatChinahasledtheworldinNEVmarketpenetration.DuringtheMayDayholidayperiod,salesofenergy-savingappliancesandsmarthomeappliancesatthephysicalstoresofanenterpriseincreasedbymorethan50percentnation-wide.Greenlogisticsalsoimprovedin2023,withdatafromtheStatePostBureaushowingthattheproportionofe-commerceparcelsnotrequiringsecondarypack-agingexceeded95percent,withover1billionreusablepackagesusedformailandexpressitems,andmorethan820millionhigh-qualitycorrugatedcardboardboxesbeingreusedorrecycled,surpassingtheannualtargets.Additionally,thetradingofsecond-handitemscontinuedtodevelop,withstatisticsfromamajorsecond-handtradingplatformshowingthatover100millionpeoplelistedsecond-handgoodsontheplatformin2023,withdailytransactionvolumesexceedingRMB1billion.

2.Newachievementsinenvironmentalpollutioncontrol

In2023,despitefacingcompoundedpressuresfromincreasedpollutantemis-sionsduetoeconomicrecoveryandadversemeteorologicalconditions,Chinamanagedtoovercomenumerouschallengesandachievednotableprogressinsta-bilizingandenhancingenvironmentalquality.

(1)Annualairqualitytargetsachieved

Theaverageproportionofdayswithgoodairqualityin339citiesatorabovetheprefecturelevelin2023was85.5percent,withthisfigurerisingto86.8per-centwhenadjustingfordaysimpactedbyduststorms,exceedingtheannualtargetby0.6percentagepoints.TheannualaverageconcentrationofPM2.5was30mi-crogramspercubicmeter,nearly3microgramspercubicmeterbelowtheannual

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target.Theaverageconcentrationofozonewas144microgramspercubicmeter,adecreaseof0.7percentfromthepreviousyear.Theaverageconcentrationofsulfurdioxideremainedsteadyat9microgramspercubicmeter,consistentwithlevelsseenin2022¹.Overthepastdecade,concentrationsofprimaryairpollutants(excludingozone)incitiesatorabovetheprefecturelevelhaveseensignificantreductions(seeFigure4-1),indicativeofasustainedimprovementinairquality.

Concentraton

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120

100

80

40

20

2014201520162017201820192020202120222023Year—PM10(microgramspercubicmeter)

→Maximumdaily8-houraverageozone(microgramspercubicmeter)Sulfurdioxide(microgramspercubicmeter)

-PM2.5(microgramspercubicmeter)

—Nitrogendioxide(microgramspercubicmeter)--Sulfurdioxide(microgramspercubicmeter)

Figure4-1ConcentrationsofMajorAirPollutants(ExcludingOzone)

inPrefecture-LevelandAboveCitiesNationwide,2014-2023

Source:BulletinsontheStateofChina'sEcologicalEnvironment,2014-2023.

'MinistryofEcologyandEnvironment:"MinistryofEcologyandEnvironmentReleasesNationalAm-bientAirQualityConditionsforDecemberandJanuary-December2023",Chin.ed.,MinistryofEcologyandEnvironmentwebsite,January25,2024.

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(2)Improvedwaterenvironmentquality

Theproportionofwatersectionswithgoodtoexcellentsurfacewaterquality(GradeI,II,andII)nationwidereached89.4percent,anincreaseof1.5percent-agepointsyearonyear.Theproportionofsectionswithverypoorwaterquality(inferiorGradeV)stoodat0.7percent,unchangedfrom2022.Formajorrivers,theproportionofsectionswithgoodtoexcellentwaterquality(GradeI,II,andII)was91.7percent,up1.5percentagepoints.Theproportionofsectionswithverypoorwaterquality(inferiorGradeV)was0.4percent,thesameasin2022.Forlakes(reservoirs),theproportionofgoodtoexcellentwaterquality(GradeI,II,andIII)reached74.6percent,up0.8percentagepoints.Theproportionofverypoorwaterquality(inferiorGradeV)was4.8percent,unchangedfrom2022¹.Upto96.5percentofdrinkingwatersourcesservingurbancommunitiesincitiesattheprefecturelevelandaboveand94.8percentincounty-leveltownsmetthere-quiredstandards,markingyear-on-yearincreasesof0.6and0.9percentagepoints,respectively.Theoverallwaterqualityofnearshoreseaareasnationwidecontin-uedtoimprove,withtheproportionofareaswithgoodtoexcellentwaterquality(GradeIandI)reaching85.0percent,anincreaseof3.1percentagepoints.TheproportionofareaswithworsethanGradeIVwaterqualitywas7.9percent,ade-creaseof1.0percentagepoints².Overthepastdecade,thequalityofsurfacewaterinChinahassignificantlyimproved(seeFigure4-2),withsteadyrisesobservedinthewaterqualityofmajorrivers,lakes(reservoirs),andcoastalseas.

¹MinistryofEcologyandEnvironment:"MinistryofEcologyandEnvironmentAnnouncestheNation-alEnvironmentalQualityofSurfaceWaterfortheFourthQuarterandJanuary-December2023”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofEcologyandEnvironmentwebsite,January25,2024.

²NationalBureauofStatistics:“StatisticalBulletinontheNationalEconomicandSocialDevelopmentofthePeople'sRepublicofChinain2023”,Chin.ed.,NationalBureauofStatisticswebsite,February29,2024.

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(3)Soilenvironmentalrisksessentiallyundercontrol

Soilenvironmentalriskshavelargelybeenbroughtundercontrol,andthetrendofsoilpollutionhasbeencurbed.Thesafeutilizationrateofagriculturallandhasnowreached91percent,andthesoilenvironmentstatusofagriculturallandsisnowgenerallystable,withheavymetalcontentatkeyriskmonitoringpointsforsoilshowinganoveralldownwardtrend¹.

Proportionofsections

(%)10090

2014201520162017201820192020202120222023Year-○-WaterqualityGradeI-III

→WaterqualityGradeIV-VInferiorGradeV

Figure4-2SurfaceWaterQualityNationwide,2014-2023

Note:Chinabeganrecordingsurfacewaterenvironmentqualityin2014.

Source:BulletinsontheStateofChina'sEcologicalEnvironment,2014-2023.

(4)Steadyimprovementinrurallivingenvironments

TherurallivingenvironmentinChinahascontinuedtoimprove,withthenationalpenetrationrateofsanitarytoiletsinruralareassurpassing73percent,

'MinistryofEcologyandEnvironment:“BulletinontheStateofChina'sEcologicalEnvironmentin2023”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofEcologyandEnvironmentwebsite,June5,2024.

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andthesanitarysewagetreatmentraterisingabove40percent¹.Over2,200largeblack,malodorouswaterbodiesinruralareashavebeenremediated,andthepro-portionofvillageswherehouseholdwasteiscollectedandtreatedhasreached91percent.Thesafetyofdrinkingwaterinruralareassteadilyimprovedin2023,withaccesstotapwaterinruralareasnowstandingat87percent.Therateofclean-energyheatingintheruralareasofnorthChinahasalsogrown,nowex-ceeding62percent².

3.Steadyimprovementinecosystemquality

In2023,substantialprogresswasmadeinprotectingandrestoringecosystems,contributingtoasteadyincreaseintheirdiversity,stability,andsustainability.

(1)Furtheroptimizationofnationalecologicalsecuritydynamics

Chinahasmadeprogressinsettingecologicalconservationredlines(ECRLs)andintegratingandoptimizingnaturereserves,incorporatingcriticalandexceed-inglyfragilefunctionalareasintotheECRLsystem.Morethanhalfoftheseareashavebeendesignatedasnaturereserves,reinforcingthecountry'secologicalse-curitybarrier,whichisstructuredaroundThreeEco-ZonesandFourShelterbelts³.

HuangRunqiu:“StudyingandImplementingtheGuidingPrinciplesoftheNationalConferenceonEco-logicalandEnvironmentalProtection,andPromotingtheModernizationFeaturingHarmoniousCoexistenceBetweenHumanityandNaturewiththeBuildingofaBeautifulChina-WorkReporttotheNationalConfer-enceonEcologicalandEnvironmentalProtectionin2024”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofEcologyandEnvironmentwebsite,January23,2024

²ZhengShanjie:"Mid-TermEvaluationReportontheImplementationoftheOutlineofthe14thFive-YearPlanforNationalEconomicandSocialDevelopmentandLong-RangeObjectivesThroughtheYear2035”,Chin.ed.,NationalPeople'sCongresswebsite,December27,2023.

³MinistryofNaturalResources:"NaturalResourcesWorkReport2023:AdheretoGreenDevelopment,PromoteHarmonyBetweenHumanityandNature”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofNaturalResourceswebsite,Janu-ary9,2024.

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TheECRLareahasstabilizedatover3.15millionsquarekilometers,withaslightincreaseofabout7squarekilometersfollowingadjustments,toensurethat99per-centofmangroveforestsarenowprotectedundertheECRLframework¹.

(2)Newachievementsinecologicalprotectionandrestoration

In2023,atotalof63,000squarekilometersoflandwassavedfromsoilero-sion,and505ecologicallycleansmallwatershedswerebuilt.About1.81millionhectaresoflandthathadundergonedesertificationwassealedoffforprotection².Plansweremadetoimproveandrestore125kilometersofcoastlineand198,000mu,orabout13,200hectaresofcoastalwetlands³.Sincethe13thFive-yearPlan,Chinahassupportedatotalof175marineecologicalprotectionandrestorationprojectsincoastalcities,restoring1,680kilometersofcoastlinesandover50,000hectaresofcoastalwetlands.Theareaofmangroveforestsinthecountryhasex-pandedto29,000hectares,makingChinaoneofthefewcountriesgloballywithanetincreaseinmangroveforestarea⁴.Bytheendof2023,throughtheimplemen-tationof52projectsfortheintegratedprotectionandrestorationofmountains,rivers,forests,farmland,lakes,grasslands,anddesertsunderthe13thFive-yearPlan,Chinahadcompletedtheprotectionandrestorationofmorethan7.7millionhectaresofland⁵.

MinistryofNaturalResources:“ChinaNaturalResourcesBulletin2023”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofNatu-ralResourceswebsite,February28,2024.

²OfficeoftheNationalGreeningCommission:"BulletinontheStatusofChina'sLandGreeningin2023”,Chin.ed.,StateCouncilwebsite,March12,2024.

³MinistryofNaturalResources:"NaturalResourcesWorkReport2023:AdheretoGreenDevelopment,PromoteHarmonyBetweenHumanityandNature”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofNaturalResourceswebsite,Janu-ary9,2024.

4MinistryofNaturalResources:“BulletinofChina'sNaturalResourcesin2023”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofNaturalResourceswebsite,February28,2024.

5MinistryofNaturalResources:“BulletinofChina'sNaturalResourcesin2023”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofNaturalResourceswebsite,February28,2024.

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(3)Notableachievementsinafforestation

Almost4millionhectaresoftreeswereplantedacrossChinain2023,in-cluding1.33millionhectaresofman-madeforestsand66,000hectaresthroughaerialseeding.Thecountryalsoclosedoffaround1millionhectaresofforestsforregenerationandrestoredaround1.5millionhectaresofdegradedforests.Ap-proximately1.06millionhectaresofforestsweretended,172millionhectaresofnaturalforestswereeffectivelyprotected,andanadditional564,000hectaresofnationalreserveforestsweredeveloped.Alsoin2023,4.379millionhectaresoflandwasenhancedthroughsowinggrass,with1.054millionhectaresofartificialgrassplantingand3.325millionhectaresofgrasslandimprovement.Plansweremadefortheconstructionof20,000hectaresofgrassseedbreedingbases,andtheassessmentofgrasslandhealthanddegradationwascompletedforthefirstgroupof11provincesandregions¹.

(4)Effectivestrengtheningofbiodiversityconservation

Asoftheendof2023,74percentofnationallyprotectedterrestrialwildlifespecies,65percentofhigherplantcommunities,and90percentofterrestrialeco-systemtypeswereundereffectiveprotection,withthepopulationsofmorethan300rareandendangeredwildspecies,includinggiantpandas,pangolins,andcycads,showingsteadygrowth²asaresultofrescueefforts³.TheListofKeyTer-restrialWildlifeHabitats(FirstBatch)hasbeenimplemented,covering789keyhabitatsforterrestrialwildlifeacross31provincesandregionsandencompassing

OfficeoftheNationalGreeningCommission:"BulletinontheStatusofChina'sLandGreeningin2023”,Chin.ed.,StateCouncilwebsite,March12,2024.

²MinistryofNaturalResources:"NaturalResourcesWorkReport2023:AdheretoGreenDevelopment,PromoteHarmonyBetweenHumanityandNature”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofNaturalResourceswebsite,Janu-ary9,2024.

³MinistryofNaturalResources:“BulletinofChina'sNaturalResourcesin2023”,Chin.ed.,MinistryofNaturalResourceswebsite,February28,2024.

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127mammalspecies,339birdspecies,62amphibianandreptilespecies,and37insectspecies.Thesehabitatsincludebreedinggroundsandmigratoryroutesfor565terrestrialwildlifespeciesundernationalGradeIandGradeIIprotection².

4.Newachievementsinlow-carbondevelopment

In2023,Chinasawanaccelerationinthedevelopmentoflow-carbonindus-tries.Thegreenandlow-carbonattributesofenergybecameincreasinglyevident,andthedevelopmentofcarbonmarketsachievednotableprogress.

(1)Accelerateddevelopmentofgreenandlow-carbonindustries

TheNEVsectorexperiencedrobustgrowthin2023,withtheproductionandsalesofNEVsreaching9.587millionand9.495millionunits,respectively,mark-ingyear-on-yearincreasesof35.8percentand37.9percent,withamarketshareof31.6percent³.Fortheninthconsecutiveyear,China'sNEVproductionandsalesledtheworld,accountingformorethan60percentoftheglobalmarket⁴,withNEVexportsreaching1.2millionunits,settingarecordhighasapercentageoftotaldomesticexports.ThewindpowerandPVindustriesalsodemonstratedastrongcompetitiveedge,withtheoutputofkeycomponentssuchaswindturbi