Low-carbon City Development in China:

A Case of Baoding

Meng,Y., Dai, Y., Liu, Z., Zhang, H., Qi, Y.

School of Public Policy and ManagementTsinghua University, Beijing, 100084

Overview

Background and Brief Introduction

Research Question

Methodology

Data and Findings

Conclusions

Background and Introduction

Raise up of “Low-carbon City” concept

Baoding’s low-carbon city development

experience

Low-carbon City Development

Low carbon related concepts are widely spread all over the world

National efforts towards low carbon developmentEfforts that local government makes towards LCC

Production Consumption Transportation and city design

Japan

Industry structure adjustment；Advanced energy saving technology；Increases energy efficiency;Low carbon energy; Carbon storage

Heat keeping technology; Energy saving infrastructure and office building

Reasonable planning zones； Encourage public transportation; encourage low emission transportation

Paris Bike renting system

Aberdeen Energy management at property level

Energy saving bulbEncourage car pool and energy efficiency car

Low Carbon City initiatives in China

City Goal Actions and Plans

Zhu Hai Low-carbon economic development zone

Promoting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bus and taxi

Ri ZhaoMember city of Climate

Neutral Network

Encouraging the usage of household solar heating system; Replacing public lighting system with photovoltaic

system; Promoting greenhouse usage and solar stove in rural areas

Bao Ding Low-carbon cityEncouraging the development of solar energy industry, promoting solar usage in public lighting and high way

lighting via different programmes

Hang Zhou Low-carbon industry, Low-carbon city

Provide free-renting service to residents and traveler

Shang Hai

Low-carbon community, Low-carbon commercial

zone, Low-carbon industry zone

Green buildings for the World Expo, Solar power generation demonstration project, Carbon-neural project in

Chongming Island

Wu Xi Low-carbon industry Biggest solar PV production company in the country

Baoding:Location: Hebei Province

Population:11,234,000 (urban population

1,060,100)

Area:22,109 square kilometers

GDP:119,996 billion yuan (2006)

Baoding

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Baoding

First Sector (%) 21.0 20.3 18.9 19.2 19.3 18.3 17.3

Second Sector (%)

43.8 44.0 44.8 46.0 47.1 48.8 49.0

Third Sector (%) 35.2 35.7 36.3 34.8 33.6 32.9 33.7

China-Average

First Sector (%) 15.1 14.4 13.7 12.8 13.4 12.2 11.3

Second Sector (%)

45.9 45.1 44.8 46.0 46.2 47.7 48.7

Third Sector (%) 39.0 40.5 41.5 41.2 40.4 40.1 40.0

Total (%) 100

Low-carbon city development in Baoding

Year Low-carbon City Stage

1998Renewable energy enterprise appeared in Baoding

2000-

2003Renewable Energy Related Industry Development

2006 Electric Valley of China Project

2007 Solar City Project

2008 Low-carbon City

Productivity Chart of Renewable Industry in Baoding(2004-2006)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2004 2005 2006 Year

Pro

duct

ivity

（0.

1Billi

on Y

uan

）

Baoding, He-Bei Province

Research Question

WHY/HOW:

◦Did Baoding select this low-carbon development

model?

◦What are the driven factors for Baoding to

develop its low-carbon city?

Methodology

Case based study

Aim at theory exploration

04/12/2023

Data Collection (I) Interview：

Mayor Director of the High-Tech Development

Zone Government branches, such as

development reform committee, department of environmental protection, etc.

Major firms in Baoding Experts in different areas

04/12/2023

Data Collection (II) Statistics Data:

Social and Economic development statistics

City urban planning data Questionnaire:

Major enterprises in Baoding High-Tech Development Zone

Findings (I) :

Local governance structure change

International Governance

National/Central Governance

Local Governance

Local Government

Enterprise General Public

Central Government

Policy/ Strategy Change

2003, Scientific Outlook

on Development

2005-2007, National

regulatory and policy

framework for

sustainable development

Local-central policy

dynamics.

Findings (II) :

Influence of National Policy Change

Local Government Reaction

“Green Path” between

economic development and

environment : “Electric

Valley Project”

“Solar City Project”

Baoding lobbied the

Ministry of Science and

Technology for four national

titles

National policiesInternational organizationsLocal leaders’ oversea visitInternational market change

Findings (III) :

Influence of International Governance Change

Solar PV, Existing World Capacity, 1995-2008Wind Power, Existing World Capacity, 1996-2008

Conclusions

Local government stays central in

building low-carbon city

Theoretical model to explain low-carbon

city development in China

New governance model emerged in low-

carbon city development

Thank you for your comments

and suggestions!