The 14th Five-Year Plan for Circular Economy Development

Developing circular economy is an important strategy for China ' s economic and social development. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China entered a new stage of development and opened a new journey of building a socialist modernization country in an all-round way. Developing circular economy vigorously, promoting the economical and intensive use of resources, and building resource recycling industry system and waste recycling system are of great significance to ensure national resource security, promote carbon peak, carbon neutralization and promote the construction of ecological civilization. To further implement the spirit of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Nineteenth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, implement the requirements of the circular economy promotion law, and further promote the development of circular economy, this plan is formulated.

1. Development basis and situation  

( 1 ) The development effect of circular economy in ' 13th Five-Year ' period.   

Since the 13th Five-Year Plan, China ’ s circular economy has achieved positive results. In 2020, the output rate of major resources 1 has increased by about 26 % compared with 2015. The energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product ( GDP ) continues to decline significantly, and the water consumption per unit of GDP has decreased by 28 %. In 2020, the comprehensive utilization rate of crop straw reached more than 86 %, and the comprehensive utilization rate of solid waste reached 56 %.  The utilization ability of renewable resources was significantly enhanced, and the comprehensive utilization rate of construction waste reached 50 % in 2020.  Waste paper utilization is about 54.9 million tons.  The utilization amount of waste steel is about 260 million tons, replacing about 410 million tons of 62 % grade iron concentrate.  The output of recycled nonferrous metals is 14.5 million tons, accounting for 23.5 % of the total output of ten kinds of nonferrous metals in China. Among them, the output of recycled copper, recycled aluminum and recycled lead is 3.25 million tons, 7.4 million tons and 2.4 million tons, respectively.  Resource recycling has become an important way to ensure resource security in China.

( 2 ) The ' 14th Five-Year ' period is facing the situation.  From an international perspective, on the one hand, the development of green low-carbon cycle has become a global consensus. The world ’ s major economies generally regard the development of circular economy as the basic path to break the constraints of resources and environment, respond to climate change and cultivate new economic growth points.  On the other hand, the world pattern has been profoundly adjusted, unilateralism and protectionism have risen, and the global new corona pneumonia epidemic has been superimposed. The global industrial chain, value chain and supply chain have been seriously affected by non-economic factors, and the uncertainty and instability of international resource supply have increased, which poses a major challenge to China ’ s resource security.  From the domestic point of view, during the ' 14th Five-Year ' period, China will focus on building a large domestic cycle as the main body, the development of circular economy, improve resource utilization efficiency and the level of utilization of renewable resources is very urgent and huge space.

2. Overall requirements  

( 1 ) General idea.  

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.   

( 2 ) Working principles.   

- Maintain focus.   

- Adhere to problem orientation.   

− Adhere to market dominance.   

− Insisting on innovation-driven.   

( 3 ) Main objectives.

By 2025, the circular production mode was fully implemented, green design and clean production were widely promoted, the comprehensive utilization ability of resources was significantly improved, and the resource-circular industrial system was basically established. By 2025, the output rate of main resources increased by about 20 % compared with 2020, the energy consumption and water consumption per unit GDP decreased by 13.5 % and 16 % compared with 2020, respectively. The comprehensive utilization rate of crop straw remained above 86 %, the comprehensive utilization rate of bulk solid waste reached 60 %, the comprehensive utilization rate of construction waste reached 60 %, the utilization of waste paper reached 60 million tons, the utilization of waste steel reached 320 million tons, and the production of recycled non-ferrous metals reached 20 million tons. The production of recycled copper, aluminum and lead reached 4 million tons, 11.5 million tons and 2.9 million tons, respectively. The industrial output value of resource recycling reached 5 trillion yuan.

3. Key tasks  

( 1 ) Building resource recycling industry system to improve resource utilization efficiency.   

1. Promoting green design for key products.   

2. Strengthening cleaner production in key industries.   

3. Promoting circular development of parks.   

4. Strengthening the comprehensive utilization of resources.   

5. Promoting collaborative disposal of urban waste.   

( 2 ) Building a recycling system of waste materials and building a resource recycling society.   

1. Improving waste recycling networks.   

2. Improving the level of processing and utilization of renewable resources.   

3. Standardizing the development of second-hand commodity market.   

4. Promoting high-quality development of the remanufacturing industry.  

( 3 ) Deepening the development of agricultural circular economy and establishing a circular agricultural production mode.   

1. Strengthen agricultural and forestry waste resource utilization.   

2. Strengthening the recycling of used agricultural materials.   

3. Implementation of a circular agricultural development model.

4. Key projects and actions

( 1 ) Urban waste recycling system construction project.   

( 2 ) Park recycling development project.   

( 3 ) Demonstration project of comprehensive utilization of solid waste.   

( 4 ) Construction waste resource utilization demonstration project.   

( 5 ) Key technologies and equipment innovation projects of circular economy.   

( 6 ) Actions for high-quality development of the remanufacturing industry.   

( 7 ) Waste electrical and electronic products recycling quality action.   

( 8 ) Promoting action of vehicle life cycle management.   

( 9 ) Special action for the whole chain management of plastic pollution.   

( 10 ) Promoting green transformation of express packaging.   

( 11 ) Waste power battery recycling action.

5.  Policy guarantee  

( 1 ) Improving the legal and regulatory standards of circular economy.   

( 2 ) Improving the statistical evaluation system of circular economy.   

( 3 ) Strengthening financial policy support.   

( 4 ) Strengthening industry supervision.

6. Organizational implementation  

The National Development and Reform Commission strengthens overall coordination and supervision and management, gives full play to the role of the inter-ministerial joint meeting mechanism for the development of circular economy, timely summarizes and analyzes the progress of work, and effectively promotes the implementation of this plan.