Letter from China: Five-Year Plan puts energy over decarbonisation

China’s reluctance to ease back on fossil fuels highlights the contrasting narratives of energy security and decarbonisation

Carbon neutrality has been the buzzword in China in recent months, but a close reading of the country’s recently approved 14th Five-Year Plan (FYP) makes clear that Beijing is prioritising energy over emissions in near-term policymaking—a continuation that will be welcomed by China’s NOCs. An outline of the plan presented at China’s annual session of parliament in March showed little sign of an acceleration in the country’s fight against climate change. While the plan—a roadmap for China’s development in 2021-2025—did reaffirm the shift to a low-carbon and more energy-efficient economy, it also lacked ambition. A detailed path on how China will make good on its promise to peak carbon emissio