International Standard on Net-Zero-Carbon Cities Proposed Under China’s Leadership Successfully Initiated at ISO
我国牵头提出的净零碳城市国际标准 在ISO成功立项
Recently, the proposal for the international standard “Sustainable cities and communities—Net-zero-carbon cities—Part 2: Principles and elements” (ISO 37115-2), proposed under China’s leadership, was successfully initiated at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Standards & regulationEU industry & firmsEU institutionsMember statesMixedMarginalRepeatable instrument
The mechanism
China has initiated ISO 37115-2, putting Chinese-led principles for energy, charging and battery-swapping networks, hydrogen stations, and building materials into an international drafting process. Nothing changes for EU cities or suppliers immediately: the text is presented as guidance, not a requirement. If the eventual framework is adopted and used in municipal procurement or planning—an assumption—EU charging, construction-material and urban-services firms may face a common benchmark shaped partly by Chinese practice.
The stakes
The strategic issue is whether city decarbonisation pathways converge around interoperable technical models in which Chinese firms already have deployment experience. It matters far less if the standard remains generic, is not widely used, or leaves technology choices fully open.
How it reaches Europe
- China initiates ISO 37115-2The proposal has entered an ISO standard-development process led by China.
- Draft covers urban transition systemsIts stated scope includes energy, transport, buildings, industry and land use.
- Technical models enter shared draftingExperts from China, Italy, Portugal and other countries will jointly develop the text.
- EU urban suppliers face benchmark riskThis follows only if European cities or procurers later use the completed framework.