The two-fold carbon ambitions of China of ensuring its emissions peak prior to 2030 and carbon-neutrality before 2060 presuppose sectoral decarbonization plans to suit heterogeneous technological and economic limitations. The paper is based on a coupled STIRPAT–LEAP model to model the sector-specific carbon emission paths in the industrial, building, and transportation sectors of Beijing up to 2035 to identify the optimal (cost-effective and technically feasible) decarbonization pathways. Our es