Chinese Dreamers EP03｜ Capping Carbon and Dreaming of a Much Greener China

高海莺：绿色低碳“先行者”

Capping Carbon and Dreaming of a Much Greener China

It has been nearly a year and a half since China's national carbon market began trading. It's the world's largest and so far has already reached a trading volume of 204 million tons. The market's smooth operation is inseparable from the efforts made by carbon emission specialists like Gao Haiying, who monitor greenhouse gases emissions, calculate the emission figures, and provide consultation services for participating companies.  

自中国全国碳排放权交易市场正式启动上线交易，已经过去了近一年半。它是世界上最大的碳交易市场，到目前为止，已经达到了2.04亿吨的交易量。市场的顺利运行离不开像高海莺这样的碳排放专家的努力。他们监测温室气体排放，计算排放数据，并为参与企业提供咨询服务。

Gao started working in the sector in 2005. At that time, China had ratified the Kyoto Protocol which meant that emission-reduction projects in China could apply to take part in the United Nations' Clean Development Mechanism or CDM.  And that in turn meant that those projects could earn certified emission reduction credits, which could be traded on the global carbon market. It meant a lot of hard work for specialists like her.

高海莺于2005年开始在该领域工作，当时，中国已经批准了《京都协议书》。这意味着中国的减排项目可以申请加入联合国清洁发展机制（CDM），也意味着这些项目可以获得经认证的减排信用额，这些信用额度可以在全球碳市场上进行交易。而对于像她这样的专家来说，这也意味着将面临很多艰苦的工作。

Gao Haiying, Business President, Qianyufeng Low Carbon Technology

高海莺  上海乾于丰低碳科技股份有限公司业务总裁

当时负责的第一个项目是位于四川的一个水电项目，首先我们也是到现场去做了现场的调研。 那么这个项目的话呢，从项目的设计文件开始，到项目审定，项目去递交国家的审批，完成项目审定报告之后呢，然后再递交到联合国去申请，最终再获得联合国的签发，大概的时间是差不多一年左右的时间。

The first job I did was for a hydropower project in Sichuan. First, we had to do the on-site investigation, then the project design and assessment. After that, we needed to submit for the government's approval. Once receiving approval, we submitted to the UN, and got approval for the CDM. Just that one project, took us around a whole year.

These saleable credits could be used by countries under the protocol to meet a part of their emission reduction targets, and were sometimes sold for more than ten euros for reduction credits on just one ton of emissions.  The financial incentives encouraged more companies and projects to apply for the CDM, and cut their emissions. Gao says the active market at that time gave her more confidence in her career, as well as a sense of achievement as it supported China's sustainable development. Challenges emerged, however, when the global economic crisis started in 2008 and the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period ended in 2012.

这些能用于交易的信用额度，可被参加《京都议定书》的国家用于实现其部分减排目标。有时仅一吨排放量的减排信用额，就能以超过10欧元的价格出售。财政激励措施鼓励更多的公司和项目申请CDM并减少排放。高海莺说，当时活跃的市场让她对自己的事业更有信心，也让她有了成就感，因为它支持了中国的可持续发展。然而，当全球经济危机于2008年开始，《京都议定书》的第一个承诺期又于2012年到期时，挑战出现了。

Gao Haiying, Business President, Qianyufeng Low Carbon Technology

高海莺  上海乾于丰低碳科技股份有限公司业务总裁

在08年，或者说12年前，CDM项目签发的减排量（CER）的价格一吨最高可达十几欧。但是到了13年之后这个价格是急剧地下降，甚至到了最低的时候每吨只有零点几欧的这么一个水平。这个也对我们CDM项目的开发也有非常大的一个影响，我记得当时非常清楚，我们有很多同行在那个阶段都转行去做其他事情了，那我们算是坚持到现在的。为什么能坚持下来，就是因为当时国内的市场兴起了。

In 2008, or we can say before 2012, the price of CER issued by CDM could reach more than ten euros per ton at its peak.The prices nosedived in 2013 to less than one euro per ton, and that impacted the development of many CDM projects. I remember many people in the sector were forced to move to work in other industries at that time. Only few of us kept at it, and that was all due to the emergence of the domestic carbon market.

2013  Creating pilot carbon markets in seven regions

2020  Establishing national dual carbon goals  

2021  Officially opening the national carbon market

2030  Reaching peak carbon emissions

2060  Achieving carbon neutrality

2013在七个地区建设试点碳市场

2020建立国家双碳目标

2021全国碳交易市场正式开放

2030实现碳达峰

2060实现碳中和

From 2013, China started piloting its own emissions trading system. More carbon offset programs have been launched since then. And in 2020, China committed to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. As of March 2021, the trading volume on pilot carbon trading markets nationwide had reached 404 million tons. Then in the same year, the country's national carbon market was officially inaugurated as well.

自2013起中国开始试行自己的（碳）排放交易体系，更多的碳抵消计划也自此启动。2022年，中国承诺到2030年达到碳排放峰值，到2060年实现碳中和。截至2021年3月，全国碳交易试点市场交易量已达4.04亿吨。同年，中国的全国碳市场正式启动。

Zang Aoqian, Deputy Director, National Carbon Market Operation Center, Shanghai Environment & Energy Exchange

臧奥乾  全国碳市场运营中心上海环境能源交易所常务副主任

市场运行平稳有序，价格稳中有升，我们企业减排以及低碳转型的作用初步显现。下一步，我们将扎实做好水泥、电解铝等行业纳入全国碳市场的各项准备工作，研究完善钢铁、石化、化工、造纸、民航等行业的配额分配方案。

The market is operating smoothly, and the prices are gradully going up. That helps companies with their emission reduction and low-carbon transformation. And later the market will cover more industries such as cement and electrolytic aluminium. We will further improve the carbon emission quota allocation for industries such as steel, petrochemicals, chemicals, paper making and aviation.

These plans have also brought new blood into the sector.

这些计划也为该行业带来了新鲜血液。

Jin Chenxi, Qianyufeng Low Carbon Technology

金晨曦  上海乾于丰低碳科技股份有限公司

我是14年进入这个行业的，最初的时候我们仅仅是认为低碳发展，可能低碳这个行业呢是一个环境问题，它只是说我们要去保护环境，去减少温室气体排放，去应对气候变化。那进入行业以后，越来越深入理解到，低碳行业其实是涉及到经济发展和能源转型的一个，这样一个非常宏大的行业。

I got into the industry in 2014. At that time, my colleague and I, we only thought the industry is just about protecting the environment, reducing greenhouse gases emissions, and fighting against climate change. But later we found that it's much more than that, and is related to issues like economic development and energy transition as well.

Pan Xintian, Qianyufeng Low Carbon Technology

潘馨天  上海乾于丰低碳科技股份有限公司

我是今年前几个月刚加入这个行业，在全国碳市场只纳入电力企业的当今，它已经是全世界最大的碳交易市场，然后我认为有色造纸等行业的相继进入，它的市场规模将会进一步放大。

I started working on this early this year. So far the national carbon market only covers power generation enterprises, but it's already the world's largest. I think it will continue growing with more industries including papermaking and non-ferrous metals participating. 

And it's not just about carbon trading. The long-term carbon neutrality goal is also re-shaping many companies that haven't participated in the trading. Many have started taking carbon emissions into consideration in their production and operations, and that also needs more support from experts like Gao.

这不仅仅是关于碳交易，长期的碳中和目标也在重塑许多还没有参与交易的公司。许多公司已经开始在生产和运营中考虑碳排放，这也需要像高海莺这样的专家的更多支持。

Wang Yongda, Executive Director, KenDall Tech Shanghai

汪勇逹  肯德环境科技工程（上海）有限公司执行董事

3060（目标）的要求，这是一个大环境。这是我们（冷链）行业必须要面对和思考的，包括新的制冷剂，（也）就是绿色环保制冷剂的使用，包括新的节能减排新技术的推广应用，还有一个（就是）新的技术研发的一些方向，包括进行一些数字化，也就是跨界的综合应用。

Under the country's dual carbon goals, we, companies in the cold chain industry, should consider using more environmental friendly refrigerants. Also we need to undertake research on some emission reduction technologies. Together with carbon emission specialists, we are also working on issues like digitalization.

Gao Haiying, Business President, Qianyufeng Low Carbon Technology

高海莺  上海乾于丰低碳科技股份有限公司业务总裁

现在很多企业或者个人的意识都在逐渐增强，但是毕竟双碳这个工作，在我们国家现在也是起步阶段，那么大家对此的了解可能还不够深。那我是希望说，今后继续作为一名低碳的从业者，在我们的低碳事业上，和各同行一起努力，为我们中国乃至全球的低碳事业贡献我们的一份力量。那也是希望说有越来越多的企业行业还有有志之士能够加入到这个队伍来，让我们中国变得更加绿色更加环保。

More companies and individuals now get to know about emissions reduction, but don't know enough about that, as we are still at the very beginning of achieving the dual carbon goals. Togther with other people in the sector, I hope we can contribute more to the low-carbon industry in China as well as that around the world. And I hope more companies and individuals can join us, to make China greener and more environmental-friendly.

With more regulations expected to achieve the carbon neutrality goal, Gao says companies' needs for carbon emissions management will continue growing. Besides doing all the monitoring and consultation, she notes that she and her colleagues have also been helping companies train their own professionals in these skills. It's also part of her efforts to realize her dream -- to make China greener.

随着更多为达成碳中和目标而设立的法规的出现，高海莺说，企业对碳排放管理的需求将持续增长，除了进行所有检查和咨询外，她和她的同事也一直在帮助这些企业培训，自由的专业人员去掌握这些技能，这也是她努力的一部分，以达成她的梦想——让中国更绿色、更环保。