BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s national emission trading scheme (ETS) will initially set daily trading limits at 10% of prices when it comes on line late in June, according to a report in the Securities Times citing the chairman of the exchange that will host the trading.
In its first phase, China’s long-awaited national ETS, seen as a key Beijing policy lever to achieve the country’s net-zero emission pledge, will cover some 2,225 power plants across China, responsible for about 4 billion tonnes of carbon emission each year.
The Securities Times cited Lai Xiaoming, the Chairman of the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange, in its report. Lai also said limits for block deals in national ETS will be set at 30% of price moves at the beginning, and adjusted in accordance to market movements.
While Lai’s exchange will host trading, the Wuhan exchange will manage the ETS registry platform.
Financial institutions or individual investors will not be allowed to participate in trading in the early stage of the national ETS, restricted to carbon-emitting utilities, but as soon as the trading mechanism matures, institution investors would be included, said Lai.
At a conference last Saturday, Lai said China is looking to bring two more sectors into carbon emission verification this year and include them into the national ETS next year.
China had aimed to cover eight high-emission industries, including petrochemicals, chemicals, building materials, non-ferrous, papermaking, steel, power generation and aviation, into the national trading scheme.
(Reporting by Muyu Xu and David Stanway; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
