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SCP Context

China National Context for SCP and Connection to the Global Agenda

China has embraced both the Paris Climate Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the need for transformative approaches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and resource use has increased. This has included presenting its first Voluntary National Review of the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the 2016 High-level Political Forum in New York. These global initiatives are also in line with China’s Circular Economy, which was officially adopted in 2002 and puts SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production at the centre of its efforts. Key SCP-related initiatives China has already rolled out include the Circular Economy Promotion Law (2008) and Cleaner Production Promotion Law, with National Five-Year Plans for Social and Economic Development; the Action Plan of Energy Development Strategy (2014); the Environmental Protection Law (2015) and the Guide Plan for Circular Development (2016). Under the SWITCH-Asia Grants Programme, 19 projects have been implemented in China through 2017, while there are three more currently active, supporting China’s shift to SCP. 

Challenges

  • Resource scarcity along with growing resource needs for production continue to require attention.
  • Changing patterns among consumers put increased pressure on already limited resources.
  • Green Public Procurement lacks necessary guidelines and information while there is low environmental awareness among government procurement personnel and suppliers.
  • The environmental legal system contains many loopholes that allows businesses to escape compliance.
  • As SMEs make up a significant portion of businesses in China, it is important to consider the access to finance obstacles for new technology.

Priorities

In addition to responding to the challenges, there are key sectors and activities that will promote overall effectiveness SCP efforts and the long-term success of the SDG implementation including: 

  • Policymakers require guidance and capacity building in order to craft effective innovation policy by examining specific policies that constitute the core of national innovation strategies. 
  • Energy and resource efficiency should be improved significantly, while energy, water, built-up land consumption and carbon emissions should be controlled effectively.
  • Accelerate the establishment of a natural resources property rights systemand an assessment and compensation system for ecological damages.
  • Substantially reduce food wasteduring production, processing, circulation and supply.
  • Other key sectors include sustainable SMEs (business and innovation), sustainable waste (circular economy and waste) and mainstreaming circular economy/SCP.

Opportunities

  • Strengthen structural reform of the supply frontin order to improve resource efficiency.
  • Further build capacity of government, business, consumers and civil society on SCP,including integration of SCP concepts into the education system and building awareness on eco-labelling among consumers. 
  • Expand the use of media to promote SCPawareness among the public.
  • Provide financial and technical assistance to SMEsto induce and enable eco-innovation towards resource efficiency.
  • Continue capacity building with organisations with relevant expertiseto prepare Government officials and business leaders to understand the necessary actions.
  • .Update technology and expand facilitiesin order to respond to emerging challenges such as e-waste.

SWITCH-Asia Activities

2018

SCP Facility 

  • Preliminary assessment of SCP related policies, activities, needs/gaps, and opportunities.

Regional Policy Advocacy Component (RPAC)

Facilitated the participation of Chinese key-stakeholders in the following regional/ sub-regional activities:

2019

SCP Facility

  • A multi-stakeholder consultation was organised on 28 February 2019.
  • Consultations with China Association for Circular Economy are ongoing for follow-up activities. 

Regional Policy Advocacy Component (RPAC)

Facilitated the participation of Chinese key-stakeholders in the following national activity:

Facilitated the participation of Chinese key-stakeholders in the following regional/ sub-regional activities:

2020

Regional Policy Advocacy Component (RPAC)

  • Provided technical support to China to mainstream sustainable consumption into national development plan through a report on ‘Analysis of the Current Situation on Sustainable Consumption in China’ developed by RPAC, the key policy recommendations of which have been integrated into the policy report from China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) supporting the pathway to China’s high-quality development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.

Facilitated the participation of Chinese key-stakeholders in the following national activity:

  • Support the respective governments in the elaboration of the documentation needed to report on SDG 12.

Facilitated the participation of Chinese key-stakeholders in the following regional/sub-regional activities:

2021

Facilitated the participation of Chinese key-stakeholders in the following national activity:

Facilitated the participation of Chinese key-stakeholders in the following regional/sub-regional activities:

Grants Projects

VA3
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CAPACITY
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FEES
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