The new guideline is part of efforts to align governance of climate change with environmental conservation.

Authorities also said they will enhance efforts to clean up the environment.

Key environmental indicators in Shanghai, such as air and water quality, had improved greatly during the period of the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020).

In December, 2020, China produced 91.2521 million tons of crude steel, a year-on-year increase of 7.75%

Elshinebal, a 50-year-old farmer in Tacheng, a city in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, used to burn coal for heating and cooking in his suburban bungalow and describes his coal-laden life back then as "dusty".

China's coal imports bounced back in December as domestic demand for the fuel surged during the harsh early winter.

With more than 10,000 registered coal traders, the CTCTC is the largest coal trading center in China.

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued a regulation on carbon emissions trading, along with an allocation plan for emissions quotas on Jan 5. The regulation and the plan will take effect on Feb 1.