China’s central bank has taken a first stab at a national emissions-reduction plan that could apply to various pollutants. A draft emissions-trading proposal unveiled to top officials on Friday suggests that China determine a national goal for reducing pollution, have regional authorities determine quotas for businesses, and put in place a system with controls at the national, provincial, and city level. It’s a heartening step from the country that by many counts is the world’s top polluter, though meeting organizers hastened to emphasize the preliminary nature of it all. Said one, “This is a new topic; the idea is just to introduce the ideas and allow the policymakers to discuss them.”
