The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Has Achieved Coordinated Governance of the “Dual Carbon” Goals Existing Problems and Paths

To address global warming and climate change extremes in response to the Paris Agreement, China proposed the “Dual Carbon Goals” in 2020—achieving carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. Regional collaboration among city clusters is crucial for China’s dual carbon goals, with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA)—a unique region under “One Country, Two Systems, Three Legal Jurisdictions” —facing particular challenges. This paper analyzes GBA’s advantages in achieving dual carbon goals, including robust economic foundations, technological support, pioneering green transition, and complementary regional cooperation. Based on carbon emission data from the 12th and 13th Five-Year Plans, it highlights the critical importance of coordinated governance. However, challenges persist in legal policy alignment, untapped economic potential, and ecological conservation. The study proposes multi-dimensional solutions including legal coordination, financial innovation, and ecological restoration to break down administrative barriers and institutional disparities. By achieving carbon neutrality first, GBA aims to establish a “Bay Area Model” for China’s national dual carbon goals.