China has published 72 five-year plans for the 2026-2030 period, with 54 of them containing policies or targets related to climate change and energy, according to an analysis conducted by Carbon Brief. These plans represent a key mechanism through which the Chinese government signals priorities and establishes targets for economic and social development across the country.
The highest-level plan, covering overall economic and social development, was published in March 2026 and serves as the foundation for subsequent thematic plans. Following this overarching document, the government has released numerous specialized five-year plans focused on specific sectors and issues, including renewable energy development, fossil fuel industries, and climate response strategies. Many plans not directly focused on climate and energy nonetheless incorporate climate-related policies at varying levels of detail.
Carbon Brief conducted a comprehensive review of all publicly available central-government five-year plans, cataloging the most significant targets and policy directives. The analysis reveals that 54 of the 72 plans published to date include climate policies or targets, organized across four categories. For each plan, Carbon Brief’s tracking tool identifies primary goals—both numerical and non-numerical—as well as other notable climate and energy policies.
The current five-year planning cycle is considered particularly significant for climate action, as it encompasses the years leading to China’s commitment to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030. The overarching plan establishes numerical targets such as reducing carbon intensity by 17 percent over the five-year period, while sectoral plans provide more specific directives and detailed policy approaches. Though additional plans may still be released, key climate and energy-related documents have likely already been published.
Unless specified otherwise, quantitative targets in the plans refer to 2030 relative to a 2025 baseline. Carbon Brief has made searchable tools available to help identify plans addressing specific topics such as coal, clean energy technologies, and climate diplomacy.
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