China is Capable of Leading Global
Climate Governance
Guiyang Zhuang
1 China’s Contribution to Global Climate Governance
With experience in international climate negotiations, China has gained an increasingly mature concept of climate governance. From the initial emphasis on “impossibility” to undertaking emission reduction obligations, then the belief that mandatory
emission reductions are “inappropriate,” to setting voluntary quantitative emission
reduction targets and the 2030 carbon emissions peak, China has shifted from a
passive follower to an active leader in global climate governance, thus showing its
willingness to take responsibility for emission reduction. This is because China—
now the number one carbon emitter and the second largest economy—is facing
external pressure and has internal motivation to voluntarily change its role. From
2013 to 2016, China’s average contribution to world economic growth reached about
30%, surpassing the combined total of the United States, the Eurozone and Japan,
and ranking first in the world. As Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of the World
Economic Forum, said, “China now has a strong voice.” China is accumulating
strength from the three levels of implements, institutions, and concepts, consolidating
leading advantages while gradually taking the lead in global climate governance to
advance sustainable development worldwide.
1. The implementation level: supply of material public products
Financial and technical issues are the focus of climate negotiations. Developed
countries have responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions and are more capable
of handling climate governance. They should take the lead in solving global climate
problems and assume more obligations, while supporting developing countries financially and technically. However, developed countries have been slumped in economic
recession since 2008, with their economic strength greatly reduced by increased
G. Zhuang (B)
Research Insitute for Eco-civilization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China
© China Environment Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 2021
J. Pan et al. (eds.), Beautiful China: 70 Years Since 1949 and 70 People’s Views
on Eco-civilization Construction, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6742-5_71
717
Climate Governance
Guiyang Zhuang
1 China’s Contribution to Global Climate Governance
With experience in international climate negotiations, China has gained an increasingly mature concept of climate governance. From the initial emphasis on “impossibility” to undertaking emission reduction obligations, then the belief that mandatory
emission reductions are “inappropriate,” to setting voluntary quantitative emission
reduction targets and the 2030 carbon emissions peak, China has shifted from a
passive follower to an active leader in global climate governance, thus showing its
willingness to take responsibility for emission reduction. This is because China—
now the number one carbon emitter and the second largest economy—is facing
external pressure and has internal motivation to voluntarily change its role. From
2013 to 2016, China’s average contribution to world economic growth reached about
30%, surpassing the combined total of the United States, the Eurozone and Japan,
and ranking first in the world. As Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of the World
Economic Forum, said, “China now has a strong voice.” China is accumulating
strength from the three levels of implements, institutions, and concepts, consolidating
leading advantages while gradually taking the lead in global climate governance to
advance sustainable development worldwide.
1. The implementation level: supply of material public products
Financial and technical issues are the focus of climate negotiations. Developed
countries have responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions and are more capable
of handling climate governance. They should take the lead in solving global climate
problems and assume more obligations, while supporting developing countries financially and technically. However, developed countries have been slumped in economic
recession since 2008, with their economic strength greatly reduced by increased
G. Zhuang (B)
Research Insitute for Eco-civilization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China
© China Environment Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 2021
J. Pan et al. (eds.), Beautiful China: 70 Years Since 1949 and 70 People’s Views
on Eco-civilization Construction, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6742-5_71
717