Cities will be at the heart of dealing with many of these challenges as well as the opportunities presented by the 12th Five-Year Plan. With urbanization continuing to accelerate, Chinese cities are the main drivers of energy and resource consumption and already consume three-fourths of the country's energy. Hence, the global battle against climate change is likely to hinge on the actions taken by China's cities.

In particular, provincial and "tier 2" cities like Tianjin, Shenzhen and Baoding will bear much of the responsibility for delivering the 12th Five-Year Plan's targets. These cities have a significant percentage of China's urban population and therefore generate much of its economic growth and employment.

Ensuring these cities, and governments that run them, have the skills and knowledge necessary for implementing low-carbon policies and measures will be critical to the success of the 12th Five-Year Plan.

It is essential for Chinese cities to overcome these challenges to play the part expected of them. For this reason, The Climate Group is launching its "China Redesign" initiative, a leadership platform to support cities in planning and executing low-carbon growth plans. The prize for such leadership is a slice of the $2.2-trillion global low-carbon sector that HSBC calculates will exist by 2020.

China Redesign is a three-year project built around four work streams focused on capacity building, demonstration projects, policy advocacy and finance, and communication and outreach. Among other outputs, the initiative will help build city managers' knowledge of low-carbon policies and solutions, produce case study evidence of successful low-carbon projects, recommend specific policy reforms and financing models, and generate a range of media materials and events.

The initiative will mobilize low-carbon solution providers and financial institutions to help achieve and even exceed China's 40-45 percent carbon intensity reduction goal and other low-carbon targets. Working with government and business partners, China Redesign will cover seven key sectors ranging from renewable energy, through to sustainable transport and finance.

China Redesign will be a collaborative initiative. The lessons learnt by business and government partners will be shared with other cities in China and abroad. The China Redesign cities with will be laboratories for the low-carbon, clean-tech economy that the 12th Five-Year Plan is seeking to establish.

Making all this happen will ensure that China is well placed to lead the Clean Revolution necessary for addressing climate change and delivering a sustainable, prosperous global economy. The prize is there to be seized by low-carbon leaders willing to act. China's 12th Five-Year Plan and the efforts of its city leaders suggest that the country is ready for the challenge. It is indeed an exciting time for China.

The author is CEO of The Climate Group.

Online interview with The Climate Group CEO can be accessed at chinadaily.com.cn/video.

(China Daily 04/13/2011 page9)