Addressing climate change: China’s status and policies

Journal article

As a developing country, China faces many challenges and, in particular, must balance the requirements for economic development. This naturally leads to a debate about balancing economic growth with environmental protection and carbon emission control. There has been a gradual change in how China defines the suitable balance, with increasing emphasis being given to sustainable development and environmental protection. To some extent this change reflects the fact that, in spite of significant economic progress over the past 30 years, mistakes have been made with respect to environmental protection, resulting in serious pollution.

This has implications for China’s policies on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). For example, there is a debate about whether China should set a GHG emission peak and, if so, when to reach it. Those in favour argue that a clearly defined GHG emission peak and a date for reaching it could promote energy structure adjustment and economic restructuring. Opponents argue that China should take natural steps to reach the peak. The latter approach emphasizes that no other countries took administrative measures to achieve a GHG emission peak before they had completed the process of industrialization and urbanization, and that setting such a peak would negatively affect China’s economic development.

This article discusses the background and reasons for the controversy and then identifies policies that reflect the increasing emphasis on environmental protection and climate change, before commenting on China’s low-carbon pathway. It then discusses the challenge of addressing climate change, before returning to discuss the appropriate balance between economic growth, environmental protection, and carbon emission control.

Authors: Junfeng, L; Xiu, Y; Minsi, Z

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
• Journal: Oxford Energy Forum
• Volume: 95
• Pages: 21-25
• Publication date: 2014-02-01
• Edition: Publisher's version
• ISSN: 0959-7727
• Language: English
• Keywords: OIES