Aiming Low: Wielding New Low-Carbon Tools to Help Chinese and U.S. Cities Peak Carbon

Chinese cities, long plagued by smog from cars and coal, are now laboratories experimenting with low-carbon policies to reach new energy solutions. By 2017, China had 81 city and 6 provincial low-carbon pilots that represent 56% of China’s GDP and 40% of the country’s carbon emissions. Several of these cities have emerged as climate action leaders, committing to peak carbon before the national government’s 2030 deadline. Even so, challenges remain for cities to measure their low-carbon progress. On July 19th, CEF is bringing together a panel to discuss tools that could help guide urban low-carbon initiatives and other sustainability actions. 

Hu Min, the LOGIC project lead, at Innovative Green Development Program (iGDP) will introduce the recently launched China’s Low-carbon and Green Index for Cities. Roger Platt will talk about US-Green Building Council’s LEED for Cities rating system.  Brian Guzzone of Eastern Research Group will discuss solid waste management and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in collaboration with low carbon cities. And finally, Liu Shuang, director of Low Carbon Economic Growth Program at Energy Foundation China, will comment on these directives.