China is accelerating its efforts to control emissions of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases, including methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases, as part of its 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Xia Yingxian, director of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s department of climate change, highlighted that this marks the first time China’s NDCs explicitly include non-CO2 gases in its total emission control framework. Recent years have seen steady progress in reducing these emissions through targeted policies. In late 2023, the ministry issued an action plan for methane emission control, leading to advancements in energy, agriculture, and waste treatment sectors. Improvements include better utilization of coal mine gas, progress in livestock manure recycling, and enhanced control of methane emissions from rice paddies. China has also shared its methane control achievements at global platforms like the United Nations Climate Change Conference and the 2024 Global Methane Forum. Additionally, an action plan for nitrous oxide emissions in the industrial sector was released in August, aiming to guide future control efforts and accelerate the transition to greener industries. The ministry is leveraging the voluntary greenhouse gas emissions trading market to encourage companies to reduce non-CO2 emissions, with six methodologies related to these gases set to be issued by the end of 2025. Xia emphasized that China will further strengthen the implementation of these plans and expand cross-sector cooperation to contribute to global climate action.
