Opinion | What China’s carbon neutral pledge means for Hong Kong

This year has been full of surprises. Covid-19 still hangs over the world, devastating economies. Elections have been postponed because of the pandemic, including ours in Hong Kong. The coronavirus is also affecting geopolitics – and Hong Kong is in the midst of the ever-widening US-China conflict.

Another major surprise was Chinese President Xi Jinping’s September 22 pledge at the United Nations General Assembly that China would achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Before then, China had never committed itself to an absolute target. It represents a resetting of the nation’s agenda with profound effect on the economy, finance, and technological and social development.

Then President Xi addressed the UN Summit on Biodiversity on September 30, where he called on the world to reverse biodiversity loss. Both statements, on climate change and biodiversity, were given at the highest international level. They will affect China’s domestic policies in the 14th five-year plan for 2021-25 that is being prepared, and all subsequent plans.

Then on October 12, just two days before Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s annual policy address, she announced a delay till end-November. Lam said that her proposals to Beijing needed further discussions with multiple ministries.