China’s new goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 provides an opportunity and impetus to explore options for the role carbon markets can play in helping address ambitious climate action, and bending the carbon emissions trajectory toward zero.

China and California’s emissions trading systems (ETS) are arguably two of the world’s largest. After its pilot in 5 cities and 2 provinces for the past 3 years, China’s national ETS is currently planned to operate through 2021 in its first phase. California’s cap-and-trade program has meanwhile been operating since 2013 and is a central component of the state’s suite of policies to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.

The California-China Climate Institute held a conversation on carbon market design, implementation, and regulation, and a closer look at both California and China’s systems, including vulnerabilities and opportunities for reform. Through discussion, our panel of climate policy experts considered lessons learned from both emissions trading programs, and defining the role for carbon markets towards a zero carbon economy.

5:30 - 5:35 pm            Welcome Remarks & Introductions conducted by Aimee Barnes, Senior Advisor, California-China Climate Institute

5:35 -  5:45 pm        Presentation I delivered by Zhang Xiliang, Professor & Director, Institute of Energy, Environment, and Economy, Tsinghua University

5:45 - 5:55 pm         Presentation II delivered by Qi Shaozhou, Professor & Director, Climate Change and Energy Economics Study Centre, Wuhan University

5:55 - 6:45 pm         Open Discussion and Commentary led by Aimee Barnes, Senior Advisor, California-China Climate Institute with: 

Dallas Burtraw, Economist and Darius Gaskins Senior Fellow, Resources for the Future, and

Alex Wang, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law 

6:45 - 6:55 pm         Q&A from Audience

6:55 - 7:00 pm         Recap/Closing Remaks