China, the world’s largest energy consumer, will open a nationwide carbon market in 2016 to help the government reduce emissions by 2030, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said during a press briefing on November 25.

The government may unveil rules governing the trading as early as the end of the year, tapping valuable first-hand experience from a pilot carbon trading program run in seven regions since 2011, said Su Wei, an official at the climate change department of the NDRC.

The trials involved monitoring key industries and companies there by reporting greenhouse gas emissions.

The establishment and operation of the carbon market still requires further trials and practical local adaptation as there was no precedent, added Su.

The seven test regions traded a combined 13.75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide as of October, totaling 500 million yuan, while China’s carbon intensity dropped 5% annually by the same month, said the NDRC.

The carbon intensity and energy consumption intensity have dropped 5% and 4.6% respectively during the January-September period this year, which should enable the government to achieve the carbon reduction goal of 17% by the end of 2015, said Xie Zhenhua, vice director of the NDRC.