China's top economic planner, the NDRC, released a multi-year blueprint on July 3, 2026, to expand industrial resource recycling. The plan focuses on recovering usable materials from discarded electronics, vehicles, and clean energy products. The goal is to strengthen resource security and accelerate the shift to a low-carbon economy, especially as geopolitical pressures on green supply chains increase. The policy aims to narrow the gap with regional peers like Japan and South Korea by building more comprehensive recycling infrastructure. For carbon markets and climate watchers, this signals tighter domestic control over critical materials used in solar panels, batteries, and wind turbines. It also suggests China is preparing for a future where recycled content becomes a compliance factor in emissions accounting and trade rules.
