Low Emissions Developmentin China:An Analysis of National and Subnational Development Pathways

In this study, we analyze low emissions pathways at the national and subnational level in China through 2050. The study begins with national level trajectories based on China’s future energy use as well as experiences of other rapidly industrializing countries such as Japan. The emphasis in mapping the national trajectories is placed on what levels of development China hits an inflection point and moves down a low carbon, low emissions development pathway. The paper then turns to subnational emissions pathways for cities in Northeast China. The emphasis in mapping the subnational trajectories are the locally appropriate policies and measures (urban infrastructure, energy supply diversity, and energy reduction of residential construction, etc.) that lead to an inflection point and reductions in city level carbon and air pollution emissions.