Strategy, Technical Route and Action Plan Towards Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality in Henan Province

Henan Province is a major province of population, agriculture, industry and energy consumption in China, and its implementation of carbon neutrality strategy is of great significance for promoting green, low-carbon and high-quality development of regional economy and facilitating the realization of China’s carbon-neutrality vision in 2060. But for a long time, the single energy structure dominated by coal has led to several key issues in Henan Province such as a large carbon emission baselevel, a tough situation of ecological management, continuously increasing external energy dependence and the poorly developed renewable energy. Hence, the present energy supply and demand structure, carbon dioxide emission and forest carbon sink in Henan Province were firstly analyzed in detail and seven major action plans were then proposed under the direction of carbon neutrality. Further analyses and forecasts of carbon emission from key industries and realization paths of carbon neutrality in Henan Province were conducted under multi-scenario conceptions for energy development. And the following research results were obtained. (1) The implementation of carbon neutrality strategy in Henan Province is mainly constrained by the resource endowment that is rich in coal but lacking in oil and gas, and relatively high proportions of energy-intensive enterprises and the secondary industry. (2) Both energy revolution and economic restructuring should be emphasized. On the one hand, it is essential to vigorously promote the reduction, substitution and clean utilization of coal, development of new energy resources including wind, solar and biomass energy, energy storage techniques, and enhancement of forest carbon sink by optimizing the forest structure. On the other hand, new industries with high-tech and high-value should be introduced, accompanied with appropriate evacuation of some traditional industries with high energy consumption and high emission such as metal smelting and nonmetal mineral products so as to improve the electrification level of industrial and residential energy terminals. (3) Based on multi-scenario conceptions for energy development, namely the established policy (conservative scenario), energy transition (reference scenario) and radical replacement (extreme scenario), it is predicted that Henan Province will achieve carbon neutrality around 2077, 2056 and 2050, respectively. (4) To fully realize China’s carbon-neutrality vision, key provinces and industries should be encouraged to carry out pilot reforms, explore and innovate, highlight local strengths, and form localized low-carbon development models with their unique characteristics.