1.      Introduction 

The Research Center of Urban Carbon Neutrality (CUCN) focuses on the major national strategic needs to achieve the carbon neutrality. The research interests cover the entire research chain from frontiers of fundamental research, major common key technologies, demonstrations, and commercialization. 

CUCN committed to carry out goal- and problem-oriented research for major scientific and key technical problems, promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, advance the in-depth integration and development of policies, production, education, research and applications. 

CUCN strives to become an important national research institution for urban carbon neutrality. It endeavors to provide scientific and technological support for achieving carbon neutrality in China, provide systematic solutions and practice bases for the construction of urban or regional ecological civilization. 

2.      Research Fields 

(1)    Accounting and monitoring of urban carbon emissions 

CUCN carries out the carbon emission accounting research at provinces, cities and enterprises levels, and establishes the urban carbon emissions database for different levels and types of cities in China. It also monitors the urban carbon emissions by utilizing the space-air-ground integrated observation network, builds a multi-dimensional carbon emissions big-data platform and investigates the spatial-temporal evolution patterns, so as to provide data basis for urban carbon neutrality research in China. 

(2)    Research and development of key technologies for urban carbon neutrality 

CUCN integrates a series of key related technologies for urban carbon neutrality, such as new energy and energy storage, biomass utilization, solid waste and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, urban ecological treatment and restoration, as an whole-system solution from theoretical research, technological development, system integration to demonstrations, so as to systematically evaluate the economic-ecological-social costs and benefits of various key technologies. 

(3)    Research on planning and implementation of urban carbon neutrality  

CUCN works on the interactive mechanism among economic development, spatial form, key industries, mainstream technologies and emissions reduction in cities. It develops prediction and analysis models for urban carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, and also explores the carbon reduction pathways through regional collaborations and environmental coordination. Furthermore, CUCN identifies the important areas and key projects for urban carbon neutrality, plans for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and eventually synergies the pollution reduction and the carbon mitigation. 

(4)    Research on management and policy of urban carbon neutrality 

CUCN explores and assists the establishment of laws, regulations and policies aiming at global environmental governance, urban environmental management, carbon emissions and energy security. Through research on the regulation and evaluation system, formulation of relevant standards, and development of comprehensive environmental management modes for urban carbon neutrality, CUCN provides technical guidance for the policy and system construction for urban carbon neutrality in China. 

3.      Research foundations 

The Institute of Urban Environment (IUE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), where CUCN is located, is the only one national research institute focusing on urban environment in the world.  

policy measures", and has strong theoretical and practical experience in urban carbon peak and carbon neutrality research.  

The main advantages of CUCN are as follows: 

 (1) Fruitful practical experience: CUCN has undertaken a number of low-carbon provincial projects for Fujian, Anhui, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia and etc., as well as the low-carbon city (or carbon peak) planning for Xiamen and Zhangzhou in Fujian, Dongguan in Guangdong, Huangshan in Anhui and Lijiang in Yunnan and etc.  

(2) Solid theoretical basis: CUCN has undertaken a large number of low-carbon related research projects funded by the Ministry of science and technology, the Ministry of ecological environment (including the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation), the National Development and Reform Commission (including the National Energy Administration), the National Natural Science Foundation of China and so on. Meanwhile, CUCN has published more than 100 research papers and a series of books and national standards in relevant fields.  

(3) Extensive international collaborations: CUCN has long-term cooperation with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Imperial College London, Australian National University and other top research institutions in the world. 

Professor LIN Jianyi is the director of CUCN. GAO Bing and XIE Jiafang are the deputy directors of CUCN.