[Policy Sharing] Notice from Three Departments on Issuing the Implementation Plan for Peaking Carbon Emissions in the Nonferrous Metals Industry

Implementation Plan for Peaking Carbon Emissions in the Nonferrous Metals Industry
　　The nonferrous metals industry is a vital foundational sector of the national economy, a key support for building a manufacturing powerhouse, and also a major contributor to carbon emissions in China’s industrial sector. To thoroughly implement the Party Central Committee and the State Council’s decisions and plans on peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, and to effectively carry out the work of peaking carbon emissions in the nonferrous metals industry, this Implementation Plan has been formulated in accordance with the “Opinions on Fully, Accurately, and Comprehensively Implementing the New Development Philosophy and Doing a Good Job in Peaking Carbon Emissions and Achieving Carbon Neutrality” and the “Action Plan for Peaking Carbon Emissions Before 2030,” and in conjunction with the “Implementation Plan for Peaking Carbon Emissions in the Industrial Sector.”

I. General Requirements

　　(1) Guiding Ideology.
　　　Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, adhere to the general tone of seeking progress while maintaining stability, and ground ourselves in the new stage of development. We will comprehensively, accurately, and thoroughly implement the new development philosophy, foster a new development pattern, and uphold a systematic approach. We will properly handle the relationships among development and emission reduction, the whole and the part, long-term and short-term goals, and government and market. Focusing on the overarching goal of peaking carbon emissions in the nonferrous metals industry, we will take deepening supply-side structural reform as the main line, and concentrate our efforts on optimizing smelting capacity scale, adjusting and upgrading industrial structure, strengthening technological energy conservation and carbon reduction, promoting clean energy substitution, and building a green manufacturing system. By doing so, we will enhance the synergistic effectiveness of pollution reduction and carbon reduction across the entire industrial chain, accelerate the establishment of a green and low-carbon development pattern, and ensure that we achieve the carbon peak target on schedule.
　　(2) Principles of Work.
　　Adhere to dual-drive approach. Uphold the combined efforts of both government and market, refine the policy framework for green and low-carbon development in the nonferrous metals industry, strengthen incentive and constraint mechanisms, fully mobilize the enthusiasm of market entities, and adopt multiple measures to promote green and low-carbon development.
　　Uphold technological innovation. Leverage the supporting and leading role of technological innovation, strengthen collaboration among industry, academia, research, and application, enhance capacity-building for innovation, promote the development of low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies in the nonferrous metals industry, bolster the supply of critical and common technologies, and facilitate the promotion and application of advanced and suitable technologies.
　　Adhere to targeted breakthroughs. Strengthen the concept of carbon reduction across the entire process and throughout the entire lifecycle, focusing closely on key areas such as bulk commodities with high energy consumption and substantial carbon emissions, critical links like smelting, air pollution control, and ecologically fragile regions. Implement precise strategies to overcome bottlenecks in reaching peak carbon emissions, thereby driving improvements in energy efficiency and carbon reduction levels across the entire industry.
　　Adhere to a phased and orderly approach. Take into account the interplay between peaking carbon emissions and the stable operation of the nonferrous metals industry, ensuring effective supply and safeguarding the security of industrial and supply chains. Respect natural laws, be pragmatic, and promote peaking carbon emissions in a scientific and orderly manner.
　　(3) Main objectives.
　　During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the industrial structure and energy consumption structure of the nonferrous metals sector have been significantly optimized. Important progress has been made in the research and application of low-carbon technologies, further reducing energy consumption per unit of product and carbon emission intensity for key varieties. The share of recycled metals in supply has reached over 24%. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the energy consumption structure of the nonferrous metals industry will be substantially improved, with the proportion of renewable energy used in primary aluminum smelting reaching over 30%. A green, low-carbon, and circular industrial system will be basically established. We will ensure that the nonferrous metals industry achieves peak carbon emissions before 2030.
II. Key Tasks

　　(1) Optimize the scale of smelting capacity.
　　1. Consolidate and further advance the achievements in addressing overcapacity in primary aluminum production. Adhere to the overall cap on primary aluminum production capacity, strictly enforce the capacity replacement measures, and explore differentiated policies for reducing and replacing primary aluminum capacity. Strengthen the accountability of local governments and relevant enterprises, enhance supervision during and after the event, and incorporate stringent control over new primary aluminum capacity expansion as a key component of central ecological and environmental inspections. (Led by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission, with participation from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.)
　　2. Prevent the disorderly expansion of smelting capacity for key commodities. Guard against the blind expansion of smelting capacity for copper, lead, zinc, alumina, and other materials, and accelerate the establishment of a long-term, market-oriented, and rule-of-law-based mechanism to prevent severe overcapacity. Strengthen policy guidance in industries such as industrial silicon and magnesium to promote the formation of a higher-level dynamic balance between supply and demand. (The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　3. Raise the entry barriers for the industry. For newly built and expanded smelting projects, strictly implement policy requirements such as project filing, environmental impact assessment, and energy conservation review. These projects must meet industry-specific standards, advanced energy consumption limit benchmarks, clean transportation practices, and regional pollutant reduction measures. Where national or local authorities have already introduced ultra-low emission standards, such projects must comply with these ultra-low emission requirements. In key regions for air pollution control, projects must also simultaneously satisfy the requirements for Performance Level A in severe pollution weather management and coal reduction and substitution initiatives. (The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the National Energy Administration shall each be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　(2) Adjust and optimize the industrial structure.
　　4. Guide the industry toward efficient and intensive development. Strengthen the concept of low-carbon development, revise and improve industry-specific regulatory standards, support the formulation of industry self-regulatory covenants, promote technological advancement and standardized development among enterprises, and encourage the concentration of factor resources toward green and low-carbon enterprises with competitive advantages. Refine the performance evaluation system for state-owned enterprises, and encourage enterprises to engage in mergers and acquisitions or strategic partnerships focused on carbon reduction. Promote concentrated and clustered development in the nonferrous metals industry, enhance its level of intensification and modernization, achieve economies of scale, and reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions per unit of output. (The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　5. Strengthen industrial synergy and coupling. Encourage the clustered development of primary and secondary industries, as well as smelting and processing industries. By reducing logistics and transportation of intermediate products, promoting short-process technologies such as direct alloying of molten aluminum, and sharing steam resources from industrial parks or power plants, we will establish a collaborative development model that facilitates carbon reduction and lowers overall carbon emissions. By 2025, the proportion of direct alloying of molten aluminum will increase to over 90%. Support the coupling development of the nonferrous metals industry with sectors such as petrochemicals, steel, and building materials. Encourage the development of the secondary nonferrous metals industry to achieve cascaded utilization of energy and resources and seamless industrial circularity. (The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　6. Accelerate the phasing out of inefficient production capacity. Revise and improve the “Guidance Catalog for Industrial Structure Adjustment,” strengthen the carbon reduction orientation, and resolutely eliminate outdated production processes, technologies, and equipment. Based on energy efficiency benchmark levels, promote the transformation and upgrading of industries such as electrolytic aluminum. Further refine green electricity pricing policies, including tiered electricity tariffs, to guide major industries such as electrolytic aluminum in conserving energy and reducing emissions, thereby speeding up the exit of inefficient production capacity. Encourage leading enterprises to carry out cross-regional and cross-ownership mergers and reorganizations, and promote the lawful and regulatory-based accelerated exit of production capacity with poor environmental performance, low energy efficiency, and outdated processes. (The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the National Energy Administration shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　(3) Strengthen technological energy conservation and carbon reduction.
　　7. Strengthen efforts to tackle key technologies. Develop a roadmap for the development of low-carbon technologies in the nonferrous metals industry, and carry out research and demonstration applications of common key technologies such as waste heat recovery, cutting-edge leading technologies such as ammonia-based zinc smelting, and disruptive technologies such as low-carbon primary aluminum smelting. Enhance the role of enterprises as the main innovators, and support enterprises in jointly conducting low-carbon technology innovation and engaging in international technological cooperation and exchanges. Focusing on key areas such as green metallurgy, establish innovation platforms for low-carbon manufacturing in the nonferrous metals sector. (The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Science and Technology shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　8. Promote green and low-carbon technologies. Vigorously advance the upgrading of advanced energy-saving processes and technologies, with a focus on popularizing a number of energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies such as efficient and stable aluminum electrolysis, continuous smelting of copper matte, and regenerative vertical shaft magnesium smelting. Further enhance energy efficiency and carbon reduction levels. Conduct safety assessments for technological projects aimed at energy conservation and carbon reduction. (The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Emergency Management shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
Column: Key Areas of Energy-Saving and Low-Carbon Technologies
Aluminum: Focus on promoting large-scale technologies for aluminum electrolytic cells and alumina production lines, key technologies for energy management in aluminum electrolysis, and new energy-saving technologies for stable-current, heat-insulated aluminum electrolytic cells. Prioritize research and development of technologies including calcium-free alumina leaching, solid carbon capture and alkali removal from red mud, low-grade waste heat recovery and utilization in aluminum smelting, and low-carbon primary aluminum smelting.

Copper: Focus on promoting green, circular, bioleaching technologies for low-grade copper ores; green, efficient, short-process, large-scale flotation equipment complete sets of technology; oxygen-blowing continuous copper smelting technology; continuous copper matte blowing technology; dual-furnace continuous copper smelting technology; anode furnace pure-oxygen combustion technology; and low-carbon processing technologies for scrap and mixed copper. Prioritize research and development of technologies such as the utilization of medium- and low-grade waste heat in copper pyrometallurgical smelting.

Lead and Zinc: Focus on promoting large-scale roasting technology for zinc concentrates, direct reduction technology for high-lead slag in liquid state, oxygen-enriched molten pool smelting technology based on bottom-blown furnaces, new green and efficient zinc-smelting technologies for complex polymetallic sphalerite ores, and key technologies for the extraction of secondary zinc resources. Prioritize research and development of technologies including molten pool smelting for refractory lead-zinc complex ores, low-carbon reduction in lead smelting, ammonia-based zinc refining, and pressurized hydrometallurgical zinc processing.

Magnesium: Focus on promoting the large-diameter vertical furnace dual-thermal-storage bottom-slagging magnesium smelting technology, and prioritize research and development of technologies such as magnesium smelting reducing agent substitution and regenerated magnesium purification.

Silicon: Focus on promoting large-scale submerged arc furnace production technology and waste heat recovery power generation technology; prioritize research and development of fully enclosed furnace designs and new reducing agents.

Other varieties: Focus on promoting short-process nickel smelting technology, and prioritize research and development of new integrated technologies for green and efficient leaching and extraction of ion-adsorption rare earth ores, as well as disruptive technologies for the production of sponge titanium.

　　(4) Promote the substitution of clean energy.
　　9. Control fossil energy consumption. Promote the replacement of coal-fired kilns in the nonferrous metals industry with electric power, thereby raising the level of energy consumption electrification. Under conditions where gas supply is secure and gas prices are affordable, steadily advance the substitution of coal with gas. Accelerate the phasing out or closure of outdated self-owned coal-fired generating units, or their conversion to clean fuels. Strictly prohibit the construction (or expansion) of new coal-fired self-owned power plants outside areas permitted by national policies, and encourage the electrolytic aluminum industry to shift from using self-generated electricity to grid-supplied electricity. Support enterprises in participating in the development and construction of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic and wind power, as well as hydrogen energy and energy storage systems. Strengthen energy conservation management within enterprises, rigorously enforce national mandatory energy-saving standards, continuously carry out industrial energy conservation inspections, and regulate enterprise energy consumption practices. (The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the National Energy Administration shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　10. Encourage the consumption of renewable energy. Increase the share of renewable energy used, and encourage enterprises, on the premise that resource and environmental capacities can support it, to gradually shift their operations to regions rich in renewable energy resources, thereby progressively reducing capacity for electrolytic aluminum production reliant on thermal power. Leveraging the characteristics of electrolytic aluminum and industrial silicon—such as high electricity consumption and stable load—support enterprises in participating in the construction of microgrids primarily designed to consume renewable energy. Also, support qualified industrial parks in establishing dedicated power lines for new energy sources, thereby enhancing their capacity to absorb renewable energy. Encourage and guide nonferrous metal enterprises to actively consume renewable energy through mechanisms such as green electricity trading and the purchase of green electricity certificates, ensuring that their renewable energy consumption obligations exceed the minimum regional targets. Strive to achieve renewable energy usage rates of 25% and 30% or higher for electrolytic aluminum production by 2025 and 2030, respectively. (The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the National Energy Administration shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　(5) Build a green manufacturing system.
　　11. Develop the secondary metals industry. Improve the system for recycling and comprehensive utilization of secondary nonferrous metal resources, guide the establishment of comprehensive resource utilization bases in regions with high volumes of scrap metal production, and deploy a number of regional recycling, pre-processing, and distribution centers. Refine standards for secondary nonferrous metal raw materials, encourage enterprises to import high-quality secondary resources, promote standardization of comprehensive resource utilization, and enhance the level of grade-preserving utilization. By 2025, the output of recycled copper and recycled aluminum will reach 4 million tons and 11.5 million tons respectively, and the share of secondary metals in total supply will exceed 24%. (The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs, and the State Administration for Market Regulation shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　12. Build a green and clean production system. Guide nonferrous metal producers to adopt green raw and auxiliary materials, technologies, equipment, and logistics systems, and establish a green and low-carbon supply chain management system. Benchmark against international leading standards, comprehensively carry out clean production audits, evaluations, and certifications, implement clean production upgrades, and promote synergistic pollution reduction and carbon reduction efforts. Increase the proportion of clean transportation for off-site materials and products in nonferrous metal enterprises, optimize the internal logistics and transportation structure, fully implement the construction of belt, rail, and roller conveyor systems, and accelerate the phasing out of in-plant vehicles meeting National Emission Standard IV or lower and non-road mobile machinery meeting National Emission Standard II or lower in key regions for air pollution control. Based on the green and low-carbon development concept throughout the entire product lifecycle, promote green design of industrial products and encourage downstream industries to select green nonferrous metal products. (The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the Ministry of Transport shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　13. Accelerate the digital transformation of industries. Promote coordinated development of smart mines and smart factories in key sectors, establishing intelligent production systems equipped with functions such as process optimization, dynamic production scheduling, energy consumption management, and quality enhancement, thereby building a smart manufacturing system covering the entire industrial chain. Explore the use of technologies such as the Industrial Internet, cloud computing, and fifth-generation mobile communications (5G) to strengthen real-time online monitoring of corporate carbon emissions, track the carbon footprint of key products throughout their entire life cycle, and establish industry-specific big data centers for carbon emissions. Encourage enterprises to improve their energy management systems, build energy control centers, leverage information technology, digitalization, and intelligent technologies to enhance energy consumption monitoring, refine energy metering systems, and elevate the level of refined energy management. (The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration for Market Regulation shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
III. Guarantee Measures

　　(1) Strengthen overall coordination and integration. All relevant departments shall work in close collaboration to promote the peaking of carbon emissions in the nonferrous metals industry in a coordinated manner and ensure the detailed implementation of various tasks and measures. All regions should enhance their awareness, firmly assume responsibility for their respective tasks, and strictly enforce relevant policies and regulations on environmental protection, energy conservation, and safe production, while formulating implementation measures tailored to local conditions. Nonferrous metals enterprises should strengthen their awareness of low-carbon development, clearly define their own corporate carbon-peaking targets and pathways based on their specific circumstances, and leading enterprises in the industry should demonstrate their sense of responsibility by balancing corporate development with the need to achieve carbon peaking, striving to be among the first to reach peak carbon emissions and setting a good example for the entire industry. (Led by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission, with participation from all relevant departments.)
　　(2) Strengthen incentives and constraints. Leverage existing funding channels to intensify efforts in tackling green and low-carbon technologies in the nonferrous metals industry, and support nonferrous metals enterprises in undertaking low-carbon smelting and green, intelligent transformation. Explore the implementation of low-carbon performance evaluations and encourage local governments to provide differentiated policies for enterprises adopting leading-edge green and low-carbon technologies and processes. Implement tax preferential policies for the comprehensive utilization of resources, and continue to apply the temporary zero-tariff policy for imports of smelting products such as electrolytic aluminum. Improve import and export policies for electrolytic aluminum, industrial silicon, and other key products. Study including key varieties from the nonferrous metals industry into the national carbon emissions trading market, using market-based mechanisms to establish cost gradients and promote the industry’s green and low-carbon transformation. (The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Customs, and the State Administration of Taxation shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　(3) Strengthen financial support. Continuously improve the green finance standards system, accelerate the development of transition finance standards, refine the green finance evaluation system and incentive mechanisms for financial institutions, leverage the role of the national industry-finance cooperation platform, enhance information integration on carbon emissions and other relevant data, and support the transformation and upgrading of high-energy-consuming and high-emission projects in the nonferrous metals industry. Make good use of carbon reduction support tools to enable financial institutions, under the premise of compliance with laws and regulations, controllable risks, and commercial sustainability, to provide high-quality financial services to key projects with significant carbon reduction effects. Develop green direct financing, supporting qualified green and low-carbon enterprises in accessing initial public offerings, over-the-counter listings, and refinancing. Promote the orderly development of green financial products, and support the issuance of innovative financial products such as carbon-neutral bonds and sustainability-linked bonds. Encourage social capital to establish equity investment funds focused on low-carbon development in the nonferrous metals industry, thereby facilitating the implementation of green and low-carbon projects. Strengthen corporate social responsibility awareness, improve corporate carbon emission reporting and information disclosure systems, encourage key enterprises to prepare low-carbon development reports, and refine the carbon emission credit supervision mechanism. (The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the People’s Bank of China, the CBIRC, and the CSRC shall be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　(4) Improve the standards and metrology system. Establish and refine a carbon emission standards and metrology system for the nonferrous metals industry, with the goals of peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. Conduct research and develop standards related to carbon emission accounting, product carbon footprints, and verification in key areas; standards for evaluating low-carbon products, enterprises, and industrial parks; technical standards for low-carbon processes and procedures; monitoring and surveillance standards covering monitoring methods and equipment; as well as management and service standards such as carbon emission caps and carbon asset management. Revise and update energy consumption limit standards for key product categories. Establish and improve a comprehensive green manufacturing standards system for the nonferrous metals industry, covering green products, green factories, green industrial parks, and green supply chains. Carry out research on critical metrological testing and evaluation technologies, and gradually establish and refine a carbon emission measurement system for the nonferrous metals industry. Promote the establishment of a green energy consumption monitoring and evaluation system, and build and perfect a certification, standards, systems, and labeling framework for green energy consumption based on green certificates. Timely adjust and update carbon emission factors for various energy sources, and advance the standardization of carbon emission accounting in the nonferrous metals industry. Strengthen the implementation of standards, improve the mechanism for adopting group standards, promote the evaluation of key standards’ technical levels and the assessment of their implementation effects, and encourage the nonferrous metals industry to incorporate greenhouse gas control into environmental impact assessments. Enhance international cooperation on low-carbon standards. (The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the People’s Bank of China, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Bureau of Statistics, and the National Energy Administration shall each be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　(5) Improve public services. Establish a public service platform for green and low-carbon development in the nonferrous metals industry, providing specialized services—including industrial consulting, carbon emission accounting, technology verification, analytical testing, green assessment, talent training, and financial investment—to key sectors. Support leading enterprises in the industry to actively participate in the construction of this public service platform. In light of the specific characteristics and needs of the nonferrous metals industry, organize professional and systematic training on carbon emission accounting, trading, and management, strengthen the development of a skilled workforce for carbon emission management, and enhance enterprises’ capabilities in carbon asset management. Encourage enterprises to join industry organizations such as low-carbon development alliances, and promote collaborative carbon reduction through means including technological exchanges, resource sharing, and industrial coupling. (The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment shall each be responsible according to their respective duties.)
　　(6) Strengthen demonstration and guidance. Support enterprises and industrial parks that serve as exemplary models to carry out pilot projects aimed at peaking carbon emissions. Provide these pilot enterprises and parks with support in terms of policies, funding, and technology. Select and publicly announce a batch of low-carbon demonstration technologies, cultivate a group of benchmark enterprises, and develop a number of model industrial parks, thereby providing the entire industry with practical, replicable, and scalable best practices. Leverage the role of public opinion and publicity to promote the concept of green and low-carbon development in the nonferrous metals industry, intensify publicity efforts for typical cases involving low-carbon technologies, green products, and green industrial parks, and disseminate advanced experiences and practices. Give full play to the supporting role of industry associations in assisting the government and serving enterprises, ensuring effective implementation of policies, fostering industry consensus through various channels, and promoting self-regulation within the industry. Enhance information disclosure by promptly releasing industry updates, actively responding to public concerns and hot topics, and creating a favorable social atmosphere for the green and low-carbon development of the nonferrous metals industry. (Led by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, with participation from relevant departments.)
Source: Raw Materials Industry Department, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology