Climate Cooperation China
On behalf of the International Climate Initiative (IKI)
Sino-German Cooperation on Climate Change

About Us

With China’s pledge of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060, the country is demonstrating an increased determination to a profound low-carbon transformation of its economy and society. The Sino-German Cooperation on Climate Change is supported by the German Federal Government through the International Climate Initiative (IKI) being implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

To facilitate the Sino-German policy dialogue on climate change and to accelerate climate action in these two countries, the Sino-German Cooperation on Climate Change provides a knowledge-sharing platform for technical exchange among stakeholders. It was established to facilitate the sharing of lessons learned and to raise climate ambition among stakeholders in their decarbonisation pathways.

Our work focuses on the following areas:

  • Climate Policy on Mitigation, Adaptation, Transparency
  • Trilateral Cooperation on Climate Change
  • Regional Cooperation on NDC Implementation with Several Chinese Provinces
  • Industrial Decarbonization
  • Carbon Markets
  • Sustainable Finance, Climate Finance
  • Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment
  • Non-CO₂ Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Activities

IKI Small Grant Supports Climate Change Education in Guangdong Province

The International Climate Initiative (IKI) supported an effective model for climate change education in Guangdong Province, China, through IKI Small Grants. From May 2023 to December 2024, Zhongshan Xiaolan Low Carbon Development & Promotion Center, a local NGO from Southern China, has implemented a climate change education project benefitting students and teachers. The aim was to raise a wareness why reducing greenhouse gas emissions is essential to tackling climate change and promote sustainable development.

Study tour to Europe facilitates exchange on methane emission mitigation

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen international cooperation on methane emission reduction, the “Sino-German Cooperation on Climate Change: NDC Implementation (NDCI)” project hosted a study tour to Germany and France for a Chinese delegation of 15 participants from 23 to 30 March 2025. The delegation included representatives from the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC), Shandong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, Guangdong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Guangdong Environmental Science Research Institute and the Inner Mongolia Center for Low-Carbon Development and Ecology, bringing together a diverse group of technical experts and government officials.

40th Anniversary of the Vienna Convention: R290 Technology as a sustainable Solution in Air Conditioning  

On 22 March 2025, the 40th anniversary of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was commemorated. Over the past four decades, the home appliance industry has made significant contributions to global compliance for ozone-depleting substance (ODS) phase-out, especially in pioneering the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants (such as R600a), which are organic compounds. The industry continues to push for the adoption of natural refrigerants like R290 (propane) in air conditioning systems as part of its commitment to sustainable environmental practices.

From Campus to Climate Action: Rethinking Transport for a Greener Future

Sustainable transportation is a key pillar in the global fight against climate change. As countries strive to reduce carbon emissions, the freight transport sector remains one of the most challenging areas to decarbonise. Tackling this issue requires innovative solutions, supportive policy frameworks, and robust cross-border collaboration. Young professionals and future leaders have a crucial role to play in this effort, bringing fresh perspectives and fostering international dialogue on sustainable mobility. Against this backdrop, a dynamic exchange on sustainable freight transport and climate protection was convened at Beijing Transport University on 3 April 2025, bringing together over 100 Chinese students and German experts.

Supporting climate change adaptation strategy and action on subnational level

GIZ hosted three expert workshops from December 2024 to March 2025 in order to enable a peer-to-peer exchange between Chinese and international adaptation experts and support the implementation of China’s National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2035 on local level. The workshops are part of a series of measures of the Sino-German Cooperation on Climate Change – NDC Implementation project facilitating action to assess the risks and strengthen the resilience of the project’s partner provinces Guangxi, Shaanxi and Sichuan to cope with the impacts of climate change. The exchange with the Chinese provinces was kicked off in 2024 with a series of workshops, field visits, and bilateral exchanges, and follows a study tour to Germany and the Netherlands. The global climate science and policy advisory Climate Analytics assists the project by bringing in international adaptation expertise. 

The climate and environment community in Beijing jointly reflects on COP outcomes

A key theme of the 2024 discussions at the COP16 on biodiversity and – to a lesser extent – at the COP29 on climate change was the importance of linking both communities to effectively address the global challenges. To reflect on COP outcomes as well as to facilitate exchange and collaboration between donors and implementers of the climate and environment community in Beijing, as part of its function as the interface for the IKI in China, the project organised a networking event on 11 December 2024.

News

State Council approves demonstration projects for sustainable development

In January 2025, China’s State Council approved the Implementation Opinions on Building Pioneer Demonstrations for a Beautiful China, setting the stage for integrating high-quality development with ecological protection. Focusing on green and low-carbon growth, biodiversity conservation, and ecological governance, the plan targets key regions like the Yangtze River Delta, Greater Bay Area, and Yellow River Basin. By 2027, these pilot projects will serve as national benchmarks under the Beautiful China Initiative. Closely aligned with the Urban-Act Project, this initiative accelerates climate-resilient urban planning and sustainable development.

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State Council approves Territorial Spatial Master Plans (2021-2035) for Urban-Act’s pilot cities

By March 2025, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China had approved 40 territorial spatial master plans for provinces, provincial capitals, and municipalities for the period 2021–2035. Among these are the recently endorsed plans for Xi’an and Xiamen, which were selected as low-carbon and climate-resilient pilot cities under the IKI Urban-Act project. These plans lay out a spatial governance framework that integrates ecological, agricultural, and urban spaces, aiming to safeguard national food security and ecological integrity while supporting sustainable urban and regional development over the medium and long term.

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China accelerates market integration of wind and solar generation

On 27 January 2025, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) jointly issued a policy titled “Notice on Deepening the Marketisation Reform of Feed-in Tariffs for New Energy to Promote High-Quality Development of New Energy”. This policy marks a shift in China’s approach to pricing wind and solar power, transitioning from fixed tariffs to a market-based system.

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China Strengthened its Carbon Footprint Management System 

International Climate Initiative (IKI) supports an effective model in climate change education in Guangdong Province, China, through IKI Small Grants to foster public participation. Zhongshan Xiaolan Low Carbon Development & Promotion Center, a local NGO from Southern China, successfully implemented a climate change education project from May 2023 to December 2024. The IKI financed the project “Climate Change Education and Mitigation in Primary Schools in Guangdong Province, China”, which benefits students and teachers

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China takes steps towards unified national sustainability disclosure regime

At the beginning of November, following the requirement for certain listed companies to publish their sustainability reports announced earlier, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Beijing Stock Exchange in China opened public consultation on a handbook for practitioners from listed companies. In December, China’s Ministry of Finance announced the publication of the “Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Standards (CSDS) – Basic Standards (Trial)”, which represents a significant step in establishing a nationwide ESG disclosure regime aligned with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) framework.

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China releases its first Energy Law

China’s National People’s Congress, the country’s top legislature, approved the country’s first-ever Energy Law on 8 November 2024 at the 12th session of the Standing Committee Meeting. The Energy Law has taken effect on 1 January 2025. The release of this law, 18 years after the legislative process began, strengthens the legal framework governing China’s energy sector, supports energy security, and facilitates the country’s energy transition. As the foundation for the regulation of the energy sector, the Energy Law will also provide guidance and coordination for other sectoral legislation and policies.

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Contact Us

Email:
climatechangechina@giz.de
Address:
Sunflower Tower 1100 (11F)
37 Maizidian Street, Chaoyang District
100125 Beijing, PR China

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