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Now, China has made it clear that it will strive to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 (the "dual carbon" goals), based on the logic that carbon peaking is a prerequisite for carbon neutrality. The year 2021 is the first year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan period. As the main battlefields to achieve the "dual carbon" goals, cities are also required to build on their pathways towards such goals under new conditions. Based on the progress China has made with pilot cities for low-carbon development and the discussion on 60 cities by category, this paper identifies the commonalities and differences between Chinese cities' pathways towards carbon peaking, and concludes that Chinese cities need to peak their carbon emissions in an organized and step-wise way on the basis of classification and according to their own development level and emission characteristics. In light of the above conclusion, this paper provides feasible suggestions for Chinese cities' carbon peaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compilation of technology lists of addressing climate change has guiding effect on promoting technological research and development, demonstration and popularization. It is also crucial for China to strengthen ecological civilization construction, achieve the carbon emission peak and carbon neutral target, and enhance global climate governance capabilities. This study first proposes the existing classification outline of the technology promotion lists, technology demand lists and future technology lists. Then, different methodologies are integrated on the basis of the existing outline of four technology lists: China's existing technological promotion list for addressing climate change, China's demand list for climate change mitigation technology, China's key technology list for addressing climate change, and China's future technology list for addressing climate change. What's more, core technologies are analyzed in the aspects of technology maturity, carbon reduction cost, carbon reduction potential, economic benefits, social influence, uncertainty, etc. The results show that: key industries and sectors in China already have relatively mature mitigation/adaptation technologies to support the achievement of climate change targets. The multi-sectoral system of promoting climate-friendly technologies has been established, which has played an active role in tackling climate change. Currently, climate technology needs are concentrated in the traditional technology and equipment upgrading, renewable energy technology and management decision-making support technology. The key technologies are concentrated in 3 major areas and 12 technological directions that urgently need a breakthrough. For carbon emmission peak and carbon nentrality, carbon depth reduction/zero carbon emissions and geoengineering technology ( CDR and SRM) have played an important role in forming the structure of global emissions and achieving carbon neutrality in the future. Thus, the uncertainty assessment for the comprehensive technology cost-effectiveness, technology integration direction, technical maturity, ethics and ecological impacts is supportive to the national technology strategy. Finally, the presented study proposes several policy suggestions for medium-and long-term technology deployment, improving technology conversion rate, promoting the research and development of key core technologies, and forming a technology list collaborative update and release mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research and development (R&D) of climate change technology lists (or climate technology lists) is a foundation of the national climate governance system. By identifying and analyzing the technology demands, stocks and strategic direction of climate technology, technology lists can provide information guidance for technological research, development, promotion, transfer and investment. Based on status of technology ownership in this field and research objectives of list development, this study proposed three categories of technology lists: technology demand lists, existing technology lists and future technology lists. An analysis framework was established to compare different methodologies of developing technology lists, based on their information sources, classifications, identifying and sorting methods and ways of presenting. By applying the proposed framework, 10 representative methodologies for technology lists were systematically compared. The homogeneity and heterogeneity of the three categories of technology lists were identified, and an optimization framework of the methodologies was proposed. The results showed that: (1) Various types of climate technology lists have been completed in China, laying good foundations for continued domestic R&D, promotion and international cooperation on climate change technologies. (2) In terms of resource investment, rigor of technology selection process, energy conservation and emission reduction potential, synergistic effect and other indicators, there are similarities in the methodologies for the development of the three climate technology lists. The differences are mainly reflected in the sources of technological information, the selection of technological evaluation indicators and ways of presenting. (3) China's climate technology list research is still relatively defective; systematic and consistent assessment paradigms and the development of technology lists in some key areas are still lacking; and dynamic updating of technology lists is insufficient. On the basis of these findings, this article suggests that China should optimize the technology list development system and enhance the R&D of future technology lists which address carbon emission peak and carbon neutrality targets, key technology lists and international cooperation technology lists based on the third-party technology demand assessment. In addition, promoting the marketization of technology list R&D and application should also be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It maps the CO 2 storage potentials in shale basins in China comprehensively. • Both shale oil and gas basins are quantitatively estimated via different equations. • Basins are classified into three tiers for carbon storage with varied time scales. • The equations for the estimations of CO 2 storage potentials are optimised. • The density variation of CO 2 at different conditions was considered. China is the second largest shale gas and oil producing country possessing large and significant shale basins, and it is also one of the top carbon emitting countries. Therefore, there is significant potential to store CO 2 in shales in China to remove the carbon emission and enhance and gas recovery simultaneously. This research provides a comprehensive prediction of potentials of CO 2 storage in major shale gas/oil basins in China based on most recent publications where density variation of CO 2 at different subsurface conditions is considered and the different stages of development are classified. We optimise the calculation equations for shale gas and oil respectively, and further classified the three tiers (i.e. commercial, potential and possible reservoirs) in the calculation to prioritise the sequestration site selection. A total of around 6194 Gt, CO 2 sequestration in shales, including 172 Gt for commercial, 849 Gt for potential and 5147 Gt for possible storage, equivalent to a total of 620 years' carbon emissions in China is expected. These can be realised in around 20 years, 20–50 years and 50–100 years respectively. For future applications, more concerns should be on the evaluation criteria of sequestration sites in shales, CO 2 fracturing mechanisms and potential leakage, multi-phase seepage and reactions, and environmental monitoring systems. As a comprehensive assessment of potentials of CO 2 storage in shale basins in China, this paper will provide an important guide for future academic studies, industrial operations and government policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving carbon neutrality requires efforts from the energy industry as well as contributions from the financial sector. However, the exact impact of the financial sector on carbon neutrality is not yet fully understood. Given the great significance of breakthrough innovation in renewable energy for reducing carbon emissions, we investigated the impact of green credit on breakthrough technological innovation based on a green credit policy implemented by China's financial sector. Under this policy, banks are required to assess the environmental risks when issuing loans, and to support carbon emissions reduction. Our quasi-natural experiment study showed that green credit not only stimulates breakthrough technological innovation in renewable energy firms, but also promotes incremental technological innovation and balances these two types of innovation by weakening the financing constraints faced by those firms. Heterogeneity analysis showed that green credit has a positive impact on breakthrough and incremental technological innovation for renewable energy firms with high production efficiency and lower government subsidies. Our findings provide evidence to help understand the role of the financial sector in achieving carbon neutrality. Specifically, the financial sectors can provide external financing support to the energy industry to enhance its capacity for innovation. • Green credit policy from the financial sector in China plays a positive role in carbon neutrality. • Green credit stimulates both breakthrough and incremental technological innovation for renewable energy firms. • Green credit also contributes to balancing two types of technological innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]