An Analysis of the Transformation Characteristics of China’s Carbon Neutrality Policy

From the perspective of carbon neutrality, this paper explores the development process and transformation characteristics of China’s carbon neutrality policy under the challenge of global climate change. China is not only one of the world’s largest carbon emitters but also a key actor in addressing climate change. Against the backdrop of its commitment to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, the development pathway of China’s carbon neutrality policy carries significant implications. Through policy analysis, this study systematically reviews the evolution of China’s carbon neutrality policy across its initial, deepening, and transformation stages, highlighting critical turning points in institutional construction and strategic restructuring. The findings reveal four prominent characteristics in the transformation of China’s carbon neutrality policy: (1) strategic orientation of goals. (2) systematic integration of policy instruments. (3) collaborative governance. (4) closed-loop execution. Based on these features, the paper proposes several recommendations for further improving China’s carbon neutrality policy, including strengthening technological innovation and green transformation, advancing industrial and energy structure optimization, and enhancing market mechanisms and information disclosure systems. These measures not only help improve policy effectiveness but also provide valuable insights for the low-carbon transition of other developing countries and regions.