Legislators, political advisers show dedication to climate change fight

When I learned that one national legislator I know planned to submit a motion on tackling climate change, I wasn't surprised. The issue has been a hot topic in China since the government announced in September 2020 that it aimed to reach peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060.

But I didn't expect that all but one of the six legislators and political advisers I spoke to before the two sessions－each of whom is from a different sector－also planned to make similar suggestions, or that all of them planned to make more than one. Wang Jinnan, a deputy to the National People's Congress－the nation's top legislature－and head of the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, will make seven suggestions to the NPC during this session. Of them, three will focus on climate mitigation.

I was really moved by the fact that although they are from different sectors, the legislators and advisers had conducted their research with great passion, leading them to come up with suggestions for tackling this very serious problem.

Among the 27 motions and suggestions NPC deputy Zhang Tianren has prepared for this year, 10 are related to climate change. As chairman of the Tianneng Group, one of China's largest battery manufacturers, most of those 10 go beyond his area of expertise.

One of the motions is about climate legislation, while other suggestions include promoting hydrogen development and the introduction of pilot programs to explore viable paths to peak carbon dioxide emissions in major cities.

I think the tremendous zeal with which the legislators and political advisers are tackling climate change is a microcosm of the serious attention that China is giving to the global crisis. As central government bodies roll out concrete measures to promote the issue, people from different walks of life have also thrown themselves into action.

I have personally found climate change an increasingly popular topic of conversation. There have been more and more seminars and forums on the issue, and in the past year, news about major climate developments or breakthroughs in related research frequently make headlines.

It's no easy task for China, the largest developing country in the world, to go carbon neutral in such a short time. But the great enthusiasm shown by people from different sectors makes me feel optimistic about China's efforts.

In fact, I feel even more confident after hearing the Government Work Report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday. He vowed to roll out a series of measures to continue to improve the environment and promote green and low-carbon development.

As the saying goes, in unity there is strength. I believe that with consistent effort from the government and all other sectors of society, we will address all difficulties and make carbon neutrality a reality.