China's Sichuan to promote 'low-carbon pride' to meet climate goals

China's Sichuan province will promote "low-carbon pride", encouraging citizens to plant trees, restore wetlands, and trade carbon credits in a bid to meet the country's long-term climate goals, the southwestern province said in a new action plan.

China's Sichuan province will promote "low-carbon pride", encouraging citizens to plant trees, restore wetlands, and trade carbon credits in a bid to meet the country's long-term climate goals, the southwestern province said in a new action plan. President Xi Jinping promised in September that China - the world's biggest producer of climate-warming greenhouse gas - would become "carbon neutral" by 2060.

Sichuan is the first province to issue detailed plans aimed at reaching the target, China Environment News, the official publication of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said on Friday. The focus on the individual as well as corporate behavior could set an example for other regions to follow, with the ruling Communist Party pledging in a major policy document last year that it would promote the green transformation of people's lifestyles in the coming 15 years.

Sichuan, which has a population of more than 80 million, said it would focus on the "social activities" of individuals and institutions and encourage members of the public to reduce carbon emissions by planting trees, cutting energy use, and making changes to the urban environment. It will also encourage individuals to participate in the carbon market and create its own "Sichuan province-branded carbon credits", China Environment News said.

The province plans to draw up blacklists of companies and individuals involved in speculative or fraudulent behavior when it comes to curbing carbon emissions, it said.

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