China’s climate policy and efforts are of global relevance. In the past decades addressing climate change has evolved from viewing it as a largely scientific concern and a foreign policy issue primarily discussed in international negotiations to one that is now regarded as fundamental to the nation’s socioeconomic development. Energy and climate change eventually became targets in China’s Five Year Plans (FYPs). With growing awareness of climate risks, mitigation and adaptation are now equally important as illustrated in the 13th FYP. Besides, air pollution in cities and elsewhere has in recent years become one of the key drivers for climate action in China and one of the strongest incentives for reform of the country’s energy sector.

The purpose of this chapter is to give a brief overview of China’s climate policies, starting with China’s climate governance, followed by climate strategies and policies, cities and climate change, and concluding remarks.