Technical specifications for the first regional carbon inclusive project are implemented, and Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei encourage the public to travel low-carbon
"Mr. Zhang, a Beijing citizen, travels from the community near Hufang Bridge where he lives to work in Tongzhou Sub-Center. If he travels green throughout the journey, he will first walk 500 meters to Hufang Bridge Subway Station, then take the subway to Dongxiayuan Subway Station, and then walk 600 meters to the office. The journey is 34.9 kilometers, and 2517 grams of carbon emission reductions have been formed in his personal account. The carbon emission reductions accumulated in his account can be traded in the city's carbon market." Yu Fengju, deputy director of the Beijing City Climate Change Management Center, used this easy-to-understand example to explain what "low-carbon travel and carbon benefits" means.
Recently, Beijing City, together with Tianjin City and Hebei Province, jointly formulated and released the "Technical Specifications for Carbon Inclusive Project Emission Reduction Accounting and Low-Carbon Travel" standard, which will be implemented on October 1 this year.
Why did Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei formulate and implement this standard? How can ordinary people participate? What kind of benefits will you get? What impact will it have on society and even the Global Carbon Reduction Summit? With these questions in mind, the reporter interviewed relevant personnel of the Beijing City Climate Change Management Center who participated in the formulation of standards.
Low-carbon mobility: Global carbon reduction actions that everyone can participate in
For the general public, how to understand and practice "low-carbon travel and carbon inclusiveness"?
Yu Fengju, who participated in the formulation of standards, explained: "Carbon inclusive travel is a positive guidance and multiple incentives to the public for every low-carbon travel behavior, so that the general public can realize that 'carbon emissions have costs and carbon reduction has benefits.', cultivate low-carbon awareness and guide the whole society to transform into a green and low-carbon life. Because of its wide audience, it is called 'carbon inclusion'."
After the implementation of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei "Technical Specifications for Carbon Inclusive Project Emission Reduction Accounting and Low-Carbon Travel" standard, relevant platforms collect green and low-carbon behavioral activities of individuals, households or enterprises (units) and calculate carbon emission reductions in accordance with technical specifications., encourage the whole society to participate in voluntary emission reduction activities through inclusive value exchange. The implementation of this project is a visible global carbon emission reduction action that everyone can participate in.
This standard is the first regional technical document for emission reduction accounting in the field of low-carbon travel and carbon inclusion in China. The standard defines the terms and definitions of low-carbon travel in the emission reduction accounting of carbon inclusive projects, and stipulates the basic requirements, greenhouse gas types, project boundaries and crediting periods, accounting methods, data monitoring and management of low-carbon travel and carbon inclusive projects. Applicable to the design, construction and operation of low-carbon travel and carbon inclusive projects within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei administrative region.
Why does the standard define "transportation behavior of walking, cycling or taking public buses (electric) vehicles, urban rail transit, and using travel methods such as sharing small and mini buses" as low-carbon travel?
Yu Fengju explained: "Calculating the transportation carbon emissions of a city or region requires taking into account the total amount generated by comprehensive transportation trips such as railways, highways, waterways, pipelines, aviation, and urban public transportation in the city or region. The carbon emissions of several travel modes such as walking, cycling or riding in public vehicles are lower than the average carbon emission level of local comprehensive transportation. Therefore, these travel modes are defined as low-carbon travel."
Beijing City began to explore and carry out low-carbon travel and carbon inclusive projects in 2021. Platform companies such as Gaode, Baidu, and Didi have carried out platform research and development in recent years. After citizens register, they only need to choose green travel methods such as public transportation, subway, bicycle, walking, and ride-sharing when traveling, and use the corresponding platform for path planning and navigation. After the trip, you can get corresponding carbon energy, which can be exchanged for diversified rewards and feedback to the public who practice green travel.
Carbon inclusive: How to achieve it from "action" to "benefit"
"Citizens only need to register personal information on the platform to obtain personal carbon emission reduction accounts. When traveling low-carbon, click on the travel method, origin, and destination. After the trip ends, the corresponding carbon emission reduction amount will be automatically generated in the account, which is simple and easy." Technical staff from the Beijing City Climate Change Management Center demonstrated on the Gaode Map platform how individuals can register to apply the MaaS platform.
Example flow chart for citizens to participate in green travel carbon inclusive activities
The MaaS platform collects the carbon emission reductions generated by citizens 'travel, calculates the emission reductions according to the "Technical Specifications for Emission Reduction Accounting of Carbon Inclusive Projects, Low-Carbon Travel", and is reviewed and issued by the Beijing City Ecological Environment Bureau. Emission reductions can be traded in the city's carbon market. The transaction proceeds will be returned in full to the low-carbon travel public through material incentives such as public transportation coupons and shopping vouchers, or public welfare donations.
"During the trial operation in Beijing, I had already exchanged the carbon emission reductions accumulated in my account for bus passes several times. 2040 kilograms of carbon emission reductions can be exchanged for 100 yuan. This is my riding record to and from work. I only ride every day. You can get 10 kilograms of carbon emission reductions." Ms. Wang, a Beijing citizen, showed reporters her record of carbon inclusion in low-carbon travel on her mobile phone.
Screenshot of Ms. Wang's green travel record
"In terms of data management, users do not have to worry about personal privacy leaks. All data monitored and collected by the MaaS platform is desensitized before accounting and verification of emission reductions are carried out." The platform R & D personnel gave specific explanations on the data security and application issues that users are concerned about. "A record of all users 'carbon emission reductions for low-carbon travel will be kept, and subsequent users' carbon emission reductions and equity redemption records will also be stubbed. After redemption, the MaaS platform will display the remaining carbon emission reductions after redemption. The current design of the carbon inclusive mechanism is mainly to guide and encourage the public to carry out low-carbon travel. The carbon emission reduction amount belongs to individuals, and no related gifts or transactions can be made."
Three years of trial operation in Beijing: The popularization value of low-carbon travel exceeding 100 million times
"I am used to choosing green and low-carbon travel when I go out now. I walk or ride for short distances. I not only exercise my body, but also enjoy the beautiful scenery. I can also accumulate carbon emission reductions and carry out public welfare exchanges. There are many benefits!" This is the trial experience of Ms. Lu, a Beijing citizen in recent years.
Since Beijing City launched low-carbon travel and carbon inclusive benefits in 2021, the number of green trips has exceeded 100 million times. More people are practicing nature while fully enjoying the convenience and comfort brought by green development. Environmentally friendly, frugal and healthy lifestyle.
In 2023, the Beijing City Ecological Environment Bureau will upgrade the "Low-Carbon Travel Carbon Emission Reduction Methodology (Trial)" issued by Beijing City to the city's local standard on the basis of three years of operation. At the same time, in accordance with the requirements of the coordinated development strategy of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, the actual situation of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei has been fully considered, and a baseline scenario that reflects scientific nature and rigorous emission reduction has been set, and has been upgraded to local standards serving the three regions. The implementation of the standard provides a standard basis for carbon inclusion, which will further help reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector and mobilize more social forces to voluntarily participate in carbon emission reduction activities.
Judging from the overall trial operation in Beijing, the low-carbon travel and carbon inclusive project has better promoted public green travel and promoted the reduction of carbon emissions from urban transportation. After survey and big data analysis, within a certain travel cycle, the project has promoted at least one trip for more than 4 million people from car travel to green travel. Among them, the number of green trips per week is less than 3 times. Among the wait-and-see and participants with 3-8 times, 13% have become green travel practitioners with no less than 8 green trips per week, which has promoted the reduction of carbon emission reductions in urban transportation. In addition, Beijing's innovation in the carbon inclusive mechanism for green travel based on MaaS reflects a strong demonstration effect and the possibility of nationwide application. It also demonstrates its extensibility in refined policy innovation and promotes low-carbon The possibility of establishing a transportation system.
The person in charge of the Climate Change Response Division of the Beijing City Bureau of Ecology and Environment said that from the perspective of climate change work, carbon inclusion is an important public participation mechanism to promote the formation of a green and low-carbon lifestyle in the whole society, and helps cultivate low-carbon consumption patterns have forced a green revolution at the production end and achieved a comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation of the economy and society. Low-carbon travel and carbon inclusive activities can increase the turnover of green and low-carbon travel methods, reduce the intensity of car travel, reduce carbon emissions, thereby reducing the overall carbon emissions in the transportation sector, and at the same time synergistically reduce air pollutant emissions. This is of great significance for achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality in the transportation sector of megacities.
