On 5 January, the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP) and GIZ held a workshop to introduce a study on mainstreaming gender in carbon market mechanisms which they conducted over the past months. The study puts forward a set of policy recommendations to support gender-responsive carbon market development and was shared with relevant stakeholders.
On 31 March and 1 April 2026, the 12th Meeting of the Sino-German Track II Dialogue (T2D) on Climate Change and Sustainable Development brought together experts from China and Germany. The dialogue was jointly hosted by the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
On 19 December 2025, the Ministry of Finance of China, in coordination with nine relevant authorities, released the Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Standards No.1 — Climate (Trial) (hereinafter referred to as the “Climate Standard”). The Climate Standard is intended to support China’s goals of carbon peaking and neutrality through top-level design, guiding enterprises from observation to more substantive action. It serves as a policy instrument linking corporate climate governance to capital market behaviour.
As the Sino-German Cooperation on Climate Change – Climate Partnership project approaches its conclusion in April 2026, a closing workshop for its activities on climate and sustainable finance was held on 21 January 2026 in Beijing.
The project organized a study tour for a delegation from the MEE, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), and the Office of the Central Commission for Finance and Economy to Germany and Belgium from 30 October to 6 November 2025. The tour focused on carbon reduction, pollution reduction, biodiversity conservation, and green growth. It aimed to strengthen capacity for collaborative research and to exchange best practices. The programme combined academic insights, practical case studies, and policy discussions through meetings with leading research institutions, government bodies, and innovation centres. The delegation highly valued the exchange, noting that it provided a strong foundation for further technical cooperation.
As part of the cooperation established between Jiangsu province and the German state of Baden-Württemberg on energy transition, more than 160 participants from across Jiangsu joined a training in Nanjing on the dual-carbon strategy and the development of zero-carbon industry parks. The training was supported by the Jiangsu Development and Reform Commission and organised by provincial institutions together with GIZ, China Electricity Council, and the Wuppertal Institute. Experts discussed tools, platforms, and best practices on carbon-emission accounting, including Jiangsu’s experience in developing zero-emission industry parks and Germany’s experiences with the energy transition at both national and state levels.
On 23 October 2025, the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted its recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2026–2030). The recommendations intend to scale up renewable energy supply, ensure the substitution of fossil fuels, and improve the flexibility and resilience of the national power system. Climate priorities include strengthening carbon governance, enhancing carbon market mechanisms, and building resilience against climate risks. The State Council is now developing the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan, based on the CPC recommendations. During the two sessions in March 2026, the draft outline of the 15th FYP will be reviewed, voted on and potentially adopted before being officially released.
To enhance policy dialogue on carbon markets between China and Europe and to support the development of China’s national Emissions Trading System (ETS), GIZ organized two study tours to Germany and European Union institutions in October and November 2025. Tailored to the interests of policymakers and research institutions, the tours focused on ETS and advanced monitoring technologies.
Following the announcement to establish a domestic carbon footprint management system in 2024, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and five other government bodies jointly issued the “Guidelines for the Construction of Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Factor Database” on 12 December 2025.
