China’s Green Industrial Transformation Leadership

A few years back I had the pleasure of meeting the Green Partnership of Industrial Parks (GPIPC) people in China as part of my role leading the Green Economy Working Group with the Australia China Business Council.

Our MOU was built on the positive interest in international collaboration from the GPIPC, and our ambition to share their learnings back in Australia what it takes to turn a whole Countries industrial green. Energy, Water, Waste, Emissions/ GDP.

As GPIPC is under MOFCOM, much of this research is what has been driving the recent flurry of policy announcements coming out of the NDRC and related State Departments. (MEE, MOST, Transport) etc.) which have driven China’s Green transformation.

China’s new Energy Policy Announced

While we were watching a horse race or having a minutes silence over US election news, China quietly released its new Energy Policy for 2025 that removes previous restrictions on China’s Hydrogen sector & accelerates further their economic decoupling from fossil-fuels.

From my recent discussions with many of the hydrogen supply chain participants on my Beijing, Shandong, Hebei, Jiangsu trip in October, this announcement will have the immediate effect of accelerating the ‘downstream’ (ie: City-level/ Provincial-level) focus for funding the Hydrogen and related (ie: chemicals, transport, green hydrogen metallurgy) sectors.

Look for huge changes in China’s emissions next year with EV growth, industrial efficiencies and renewables penetration.

Australian Engagement with China

Despite sharing our recommendations with DFAT’s Ministers and their team in May 2023, I have seen little “evidence of industry” of pro-active engagement with China from Australia to learn about these developments in their green, high-quality industrial transformation.

If anything I’ve seen a doubling-down on the “anywhere but (mainland) China” diversification strategy from Australia.

Meanwhile…

Japan Engagement

The 17th China-Japan Comprehensive Forum on Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection was held in Tokyo, Japan attended by representatives of Chinese and Japanese governments and enterprises, focusing on energy conservation, environmental protection and green low-carbon technologies, conducted in-depth exchanges. As China’s platform for promoting green transformation of Industrial parks and international cooperation, GPIPC’s purpose is to:

• deepen cooperation with global partners
• actively promote the promotion and application of green innovative technologies
• help industrial upgrading and low-carbon transformation of plants, and
• jointly address the global climate change challenge.

Green Alliance at COP29 Baku

The China Alliance of Green Industrial Parks are presenting at COP29 this week in Baku, sharing learnings from their most recent industry report.

Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones (GASEZ) Annual Conference

In September GPIPC hosted members of the Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones Annual Conference. GASEZ members represent 7,000 special economic zones in 145 economiesemploying over 100 million people.

World Green Economy Summit – Dubai

In October GPIPC were invited to attend the World Green Economy Summit (WGES) in Dubai, sharing learnings at the Clean Technology Finance Sub-Forum. A number of Green Alliance’s initiatives in promoting clean technology development and measuring demand trends for clean technology have been supporting green finance in the Chinese market.

Green Alliance/ Energy Foundation China – ASEAN Sustainable Development Seminar

GPIPC and the Energy Foundation organised a research seminar on sustainable development of industrial parks in ASEAN countries (Indonesia). The meeting focused on the sustainable development status and challenges of Indonesia’s special economic zones, as well as the current investment situation of Chinese enterprises. Twenty-five representatives from eight ASEAN industrial parks and well-known research institutions participated in the seminar.

International Sustainable Water Alliance Forum – Shanghai

GPIPC shared learnings from their Water Management Reports at the International Alliance for Sustainable Water Management Sustainable Water Management Forum in Shanghai inviting collective action on sustainable water management in China.

Double Carbon Green Innovation Competition – Tianjin Economic Development Zone

Tianjin Binhai New Area and the Tianjin Economic and Commercial Zone (hosts of ACBC’s China delegation in April 2023) held a competition at the new Tianjin Double Carbon Building on carbon-related policies, carbon standards, carbon verification and accounting, and carbon trading. The competition attracted more than 40 “double carbon”/“双碳” related innovators.

China-Finland Innovative Enterprise Cooperation Forum

Green Development Alliance of National Economic and Technological Development Zones was invited to participate in the Green Development Alliance Forum hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. This is the 5th China-Finland Innovation Forum hosted by the Federation of Finnish Industry and the National Business Promotion Bureau of Finland.

GPIPC shared experiences on green development in the circular economy.

Carbon Footprint Training – Hebei Qinghuangdao Econoic Development Zone

GPIPC ran carbon accounting training with members of Hebei’s Qinhuangdao Economic and Technological Development Zone on product carbon footprint accounting. GPIPC experts presented on the concept of product carbon footprint, the development of global trends, how enterprises can calculate and manage carbon footprint of products.

Tibet (Lhasa) Economic Development Zone – Green High-Quality Development Training

GPIPC ran training on green, high-quality development with member, Lhasa Economic and Technological Development Zone. GPIPC shared information on national green development policies, carbon peak practices in parks, coordinated development of digitisation and green development, strategies for industrial agglomeration and information of national policy funds. Attendees from Lhasa municipal, district & county Government and representatives from the city’s business community attended the training.

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Park dynamics

Inbound foreign investment into China will be streamlined to be encouraged to participate in these Green Parks so as not to negatively affect China’s Green Economy transiton.

Further information on China’s Alliance of Green Economic Development Zones in the context of China’s National (ie: State-level, Provincial and City-level economic development zones…

• Of 95 National Eco-Industry Demonstration Parks, 53 are National Economic & Technical Development Zones and members of GPIPC – 国家生态工业示范园区：国家级经开区 53 家（全国共95家)
• Of the 129 National Circular Economy Demonstration and Pilot Parks, 59 are NETDZs 国家循环化改造试点园区国家级经开区 ：国家级经开区 59 家（全国共129家)
• Of the 225 National Green Industrial Parks, 81 are members 国家绿色工业园区：国家级经开区 81 家（全国共225家)
• Of the 55 National Low-Carbon Industrial Parks, 17 are members 国家低碳工业园区：国家级经开区 17 家（全国共55家）
• Of the National Green Industry Demonstration Bases, 7 are members 国家绿色产业示范基地：国家级经开区 7 家（全国共31家）
• Of the 76 National Pilot Zones for Third-party Treatment of Environmental Pollution, 8 are members 国家园区环境污染第三方治理试点：国家级经开区 8 家（全国共76家）
• Of the 676 Pilot Zones for Roof Distributed PV, 10 are NETDZs 整县(市.区)屋顶分布式光伏开发试点：国家级经开区 10 家（全国共676家）

In recent Park news…

Hunan (Changsha) approved 8 new provincial green manufacturing enterprises

Recently the Hunan Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology issued a “Notice on Announcing the Green Manufacturing List of Hunan Province in 2024” and a total of nine enterprises in Changsha Economic and Technological Development Zone were rated as green factories. Changsha EDZ now has 13 national & 28 Provincial green factories.

Shandong (Weifang) BinHai Economic Development Zone

As previously mentioned, Weifang Port, part of GPIPC Member Weifang Binhai Economic and Technological Development Zone has built the country’s first “zero carbon port”. Weifang Port is carbon neutral through a series of emission reduction measures such as the construction of decentralised wind power system, the introduction of hydrogen vehicles and the promotion of EV replacement vehicles and automation. Qualified carbon credits were used to offset the remaining greenhouse gas emissions.

Inner-Mongolia (Hulunbuir) Economic Development Zone – Zero Carbon Park

Way up in the North-east of China (even further North than Harbin!) the Hulunbuir Economic-Technological Development Zone in Inner-Mongolia (est 2012) held a forum on the establishment of new Zero-Carbon Park. With input from GPIPC, Hulun Buir analysed the development of new energy resources in the region and discussed the regional advantages and necessity of Zero-Carbon Park in Hulun Buir.

Jiangsu (ZhangJiaGang) Economic Development Zone Hydrogen-smart Microgrid

Zhangjiagang Economic and Technological Development Zonesuccessfully hosted the launch of a hydrogen smart microgrid integrating hydrogen power generation, photovoltaic power generation, energy storage, charging and discharging equipment and energy management system.

It’s the first “hydrogen+” smart microgrid in Jiangsu Province.

In recent National/ Provincial Green policy news (October 2024)

1. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued Technical Guidelines for Green and Low-carbon Development of Printing and Dyeing Industry (2024 Edition)
2. The People’s Bank of China and other four departments issued the “Opinions on Giving Play to the Role of Green Finance in Serving the Construction of a Beautiful China”
3. The Ministry of Ecology & Environment issued a Notice on the National Power Generation Industry Carbon Trading Quota Allocation and Payment Related Work in 2023 and 2024
4. The National Development & Reform Commission released Guiding Opinions on implementing alternative Renewable energy sources.
5. Eight departments, led by NDRC, MEE and the National Bureau of Statistics jointly issued the “Work Plan for Improving the Carbon Emissions Statistical Accounting System”
6. Shanghai Municipal People’s Government issued a Three-Year Action Plan for Building a Beautiful Shanghai (2024-2026)
7. Anhui Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and Anhui Provincial Development and Reform Commission issued the Implementation plan for Accelerating Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction in the Building Sector
8. Harbin Municipal People’s Government issued an Implementation Plan for the National Carbon Peak Pilot (Harbin Economic and Technological Development Zone)
9. Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone Management Committee issued Emergency Response Plan for Environmental Emergencies in Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone (2024)
10. Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone also issued new measures for the Administration of Financial Incentive Funds for Prefabricated Construction Projects in Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone.

This information is shared with the author for the purposes of improving international understanding of China’s green industrial development policies and advance international collaboration.

READ HOW TO GREEN ECONOMY AUSTRALIA PART.1. Anthony Coles HERE+