China and Germany Join Hands to Create a Green Future in the Transport Sector
NDC-TIA China Component Closure
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NDC-TIA China Component Closure 〰️
On June 6, 2024, the closing ceremony of the NDC-TIA China Component was held in Beijing, demonstrating the remarkable project achievements as part of the strong collaboration between China and Germany in the decarbonization of the transport sector. The event was co-hosted by the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), with support from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), the World Resources Institute (WRI), and Agora Verkehrswende. Participants reviewed the fruitful outcomes of the project through in-depth discussions on key issues such as decarbonization trends, technological and policy aspects in the transport sector, the synergy of pollution control and carbon reduction, and the cost-benefit analysis of the transport transition.
Photo provided by WRI China.
On the national level, the project conducted a comprehensive review of policies and regulations related to controlling air pollutants and greenhouse gases (GHGs) in China's transport sector since 2000. It also offered policy recommendations for medium- and long-term planning to assist decision-makers. In addition, the project delved into the trends and advancements in GHG and air pollutant removal technologies for passenger and commercial vehicles in China, providing robust support for quantifying the anticipated outcomes of these policies.
At the local level, the project utilized modeling and public data analysis to forecast the medium- and long-term trends of the coordinated decarbonization impact of GHGs and pollutants in road transport within Guangdong Province. This provided valuable technical support for local governments. Furthermore, the project conducted extensive research on applying zero-emission trucks and decarbonized drayage transport at ports, offering specific recommendations and actionable plans.
Ms. Cui Mingming, Division Chief at the Mobile Source Division of the Department of Atmospheric Environment under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, stated in her speech that in recent years, China and Germany have sustained close communication and exchanges in the field of environmental protection, underpinned by a solid foundation of cooperation. Notably, the two countries have engaged in a series of dialogues and events that have not only complemented each other with practical experience exchange but also offered valuable support for environmental decision-making on both sides, yielding remarkable outcomes.
Christiane von Au, representative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany (BMWK), stated in her speech that as China moves ahead with the low carbon transition in the power and industrial sectors, it remains equally important to systematically decarbonize the transport sector – with strong ambition on the national, provincial and local level. The NDC-TIA China component has taken significant steps and achieved key results to advance shared low-carbon climate goals.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Hannah Westphal, representative of the German Embassy in China, stated that comprehensive sustainable transport policies crucially benefit from multi-stakeholder engagement, strong vertical and horizontal integration, and regional and international experience sharing, all of which were encompassed by the NDC Transport Initiative for Asia project.
Looking ahead, the participants recommended enhancing cooperation and exchanges across various sectors, including the setting of standards for mobile source pollutants and greenhouse gases (GHGs), the promotion of new energy vehicles, the control of motor vehicle emissions throughout their entire life cycle analysis (LCA), product carbon footprint management, and the optimization of transport structures. These efforts aim to achieve the "Dual Carbon" goals and contribute to the "Beautiful China" initiative.
Photo provided by WRI China
The event was co-chaired by Ms. Xia Yun, Lead of the NDC-TIA China Component, and Ms. He Hui, Director of the ICCT China Office. It drew the participation of over 40 experts and scholars from various research institutions and international organizations, including the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, GIZ, the Energy Foundation, ICCT, WRI, Agora Verkehrswende, the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC), the Transport Planning and Research Institute of the Ministry of Transport, Beijing Transport Institute, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Society of Automotive Engineers, and Tsinghua University.
As part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the NDC-TIA China Component was initiated in April 2021. Under the guidance of the Chinese and the German governments, the project team has collaborated closely to conduct extensive research on GHG emission reduction, policy standards, and decarbonization technology trends and roadmaps. The project achievements have greatly facilitated low-carbon policy-making in the transport sector and allowed the sharing of China's lessons and experiences in decarbonizing transport with the global transportation community. This closing event served as a comprehensive showcase of the project's results and marked an important milestone in the low-carbon transportation cooperation between China and Germany.
Author: Yuzi Zhao
