March 25, 2021 | 5:00 - 6:40 p.m. (Pacific Time)
March 25, 2021 | 8:00 - 9:40 p.m. (Eastern Time)
March 26, 2021 | 8:00 - 9:40 a.m. (China Time)

China released its 14th Five-Year Plan, covering 2021-2025, at the National People's Congress at the Two Sessions in March. The plan includes several climate and energy targets, among them an energy intensity reduction of 13.5% and carbon intensity reduction of 18%. Although more specific sectoral and local plan details have yet to be shared, whether the plan is sufficient for China to meet its climate commitments and desirable for climate change mitigation has been a debated topic. In this read-out, scholars and policy leaders from China and the US highlighted the key climate targets and policies in the 14th Five-Year Plan and offered comments on its strengths and weaknesses. Panelists also identified opportunities to accelerate climate cooperation, including on the subnational level with a case study on low-carbon development in Shenzhen.

AGENDA

5:00 p.m.        Welcome & Introductions: Fan Dai, Director, California-China Climate Institute

5:10 p.m        Keynote Presentation: China 14th Five Year Plan and Carbon Emission Peaking Proposal 

Wang Yi, Vice President of the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences 

5:30 p.m.      Presentation: Shenzhen’s Carbon Emission Peaking Plan 

Tang Jie, Shenzhen Climate Change Institute, Shenzhen’s Carbon Emission Peaking Plan

5:50 p.m.         Discussion:

Kelly Sims Gallagher, Academic Dean and Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

Wang Yi, Vice President of the Institutes of Science and Development, Chinese Academy of Science 

Hal Harvey, Chief Executive Officer, Energy Innovation 

Tang Jie, Shenzhen Climate Change Institute

6:30 p.m.         Recap & Closing Remarks