In addition, the owners should also enjoy lower utility costs, such as public transit fares and parking fees, according to the guide.

Nie hopes that greater privileges can be given to those who embrace a low-carbon lifestyle. "For example, in cities with car purchase restrictions, their application should be prioritized," he said.

He believes that the incentive-based measure will spur the public's demand for low-carbon technology and products and eventually force manufacturers to cater to the market, which is "the real value of the incentives."

The government directive has called for the pilot program to be spread throughout the province by 2018.

As the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, China raised new climate change goals a month ago, promising to cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 60 percent to 65 percent by 2030 from 2015 levels and achieve a peak in emissions around the same year.

The goal is a big step from the country's previous emission control target, which eyed a decrease of 40 percent to 45 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. Last year, its carbon emissions per unit of GDP was 33.8 percent lower than the 2005 level.

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