2026 China Carbon Market Conference Held in Wuhan, Hubei

On September 15, the 2026 China Carbon Market Conference was held in Wuhan, Hubei. Themed "Unlocking Carbon Market Efficacy to Drive Comprehensive Green Transition," the conference convened prominent global green development experts and industry representatives to foster in-depth dialogue and strengthen international cooperation.

Venue of the 2026 China Carbon Market Conference 

Photo courtesy of the Department of Ecology and Environment of Hubei Province

The opening ceremony featured the release of the "China National Carbon Market Development Report (2026)," providing a comprehensive overview of China's carbon market development, progress and achievements since 2025, alongside two parallel sub-forums dedicated to leveraging the role of carbon market mechanisms and accelerating the development of the voluntary emission reduction trading market.

Having completed five full years of operation, China's national carbon emissions trading market achieved its first expansion in 2024 by incorporating three high-emission sectors—steel, cement, and aluminum smelting—expanding covered entities to roughly 4,000 and raising the market's coverage to 60% of the nation's total carbon emissions. Over the more than five years since its launch, market vitality has risen steadily, with cumulative carbon emission allowance trading volume reaching 961 million tonnes and aggregate turnover hitting 65.699 billion yuan as of the end of August 2026.

Carbon trading prices have remained generally stable with an upward trend; by the end of August 2026, the composite closing price stood at 97.90 yuan per tonne, up 31.18% from the end of 2025, broadly reflecting market supply and demand.

Meanwhile, China's greenhouse gas voluntary emission reduction trading market has accelerated the release of project methodologies across key sectors, ushering in a period of rapid market expansion. As of the end of August 2026, the national voluntary emission reduction trading market had registered a cumulative total of 41 voluntary emission reduction projects and 24.2335 million tonnes of verified voluntary emission reductions.