Quantifying Low-carbon Behavior and Building ＂Zero-carbon Park＂ and ＂Zero-carbon Town＂

"The’ double carbon’ strategy puts forward new requirements for the adjustment, upgrading and coordinated development of energy and industrial structure. At the same time, the high-quality and zero-carbon ecological living environment needs to be re-examined and laid out. Zero-carbon parks, zero-carbon towns, and zero-carbon enterprises can be set up in cities, towns, or enterprises as carbon sources to offset the carbon emissions by using measures to reduce sources and increase foreign exchange, carbon capture technology, or purchasing carbon credits. " On September 17th, Jiang Qingzhe, President and Professor of China International Carbon Neutral Economic Research Institute, said at the Humboldt Zero Carbon International Forum in 2023.

The picture shows the Humboldt Zero Carbon International Forum in 2023.

The essence of "zero carbon" is carbon neutrality. The British Standards Institute (BSI) defines "zero carbon" as: the amount of carbon emissions of the target in a period of time can be offset by clean energy technologies such as energy saving, emission reduction and carbon capture, without generating a net increase in global carbon emissions.

Based on this definition, zero-carbon town means that rural areas reduce emissions by widely adopting clean energy technology, expanding afforestation area and reducing energy consumption, so that the net increase of rural carbon emissions in that year is zero. Zero-carbon park refers to a modern industrial park in which the total amount of carbon dioxide directly or indirectly generated in an industrial park is completely offset by means of clean technology support, carbon recovery technology and energy storage and exchange within a certain period (usually one year), so as to realize "zero emission" of carbon elements throughout the year.

The picture shows Jiang Qingzhe, Dean and Professor of China International Carbon Neutral Economic Research Institute, delivering a speech at the Humboldt Zero Carbon International Forum in 2023.

Jiang Qingzhe said that "peak carbon dioxide emissions" and "carbon neutrality" are complex systems engineering. It needs to be clear that among many factors, scientific and technological innovation plays a leading role and is the source of low-carbon development. The process of low-carbon development and technological innovation covers various technologies, including carbon reduction, carbon replacement, carbon fixation and carbon burial. These technologies are developing rapidly, and various low-carbon, zero-carbon and even negative-carbon technologies have emerged. The integrated innovation of carbon emission reduction technology is conducive to the solution of low carbon and carbon reduction, and can promote the matching, sharing and utilization of carbon dioxide in industrial chains and industries, regions and parks.

With regard to the construction and development of zero-carbon parks, Jiang Qingzhe told reporters that as the main carrier of industrial activities with advanced elements and vigorous innovation activities, zero-carbon parks can promote the low-carbon and efficient development of the overall economy through demonstration effects in supply, monitoring, management and service, which is the key foothold for China to reduce energy consumption and accurately reduce emissions. Zero-carbon park is a complex system engineering, which needs to integrate the concept of "zero carbon" in the whole life cycle of park planning, construction and management.

In recent years, with the implementation of the "double carbon" strategy, zero-carbon parks and zero-carbon towns have been gradually recognized and practiced in many places across the country.

Gong Bengao, secretary of the Party Working Committee and director of the Management Committee of Lingang Economic and Technological Development Zone in Weihai City, Shandong Province, introduced at this forum that the park has joined Professor Jiang Qingzhe, Dean of China International Carbon Neutral Economic Research Institute, and his team to provide professional guidance for the construction and top-level design of zero-carbon demonstration zones; At the same time, Weihai New Energy Industry Development Research Institute was established, and three platforms including energy and carbon big data, carbon asset transaction management, international green energy and new energy equipment supply chain were built. Lingang District will follow the principle of "zero-carbon park, ecological new city, smart energy use and green development", and make efforts in four fields, including energy, industry, transportation and construction, to actively promote the completion of zero-carbon park.

"The construction of zero-carbon parks, zero-carbon towns and zero-carbon enterprises should comprehensively adjust and optimize energy, industry, transportation, urban and rural construction, etc., to ensure the coordination of the’ double-carbon’ strategy, development direction, policies and projects of relevant subjects and links. At the same time, we should make good use of the national green financial policy, introduce carbon funds, adopt the way of government guidance and market operation, encourage social capital to participate, and guarantee zero-carbon parks, zero-carbon towns and cities. Jiang Qingzhe pointed out that, for example, the realization of a zero-carbon park is inseparable from the support of various means such as energy saving, emission reduction, carbon sequestration and carbon sink. At the same time, it is necessary to realize the deep integration of production, life and ecology through low-carbon industrial development, green energy transformation, centralized sharing of facilities, recycling of resources and intelligent management of carbon elements.

At the Humboldt Zero-Carbon International Forum in 2023, participants focused on the topics of "Investment, Construction and Operation of China-Europe Zero-Carbon Park" and "Mechanism, Technology and Investment of Zero-Carbon Park, Zero-Carbon Town and Zero-Carbon Enterprise Construction", and started from specific paths, devoted themselves to building zero-carbon parks, zero-carbon towns and zero-carbon enterprises, and summarized the experience of "double-carbon" construction that can be replicated and promoted. (China Economic Net reporter Yang Xiufeng)