718
G. Zhuang
economic uncertainties. Faced with a huge capital and technology gap, they have
stagnated and even withdrawn.
In contrast, with years of steady and high-speed economic development, China
has greatly improved its overall national strength while actively exploring the path
of transformation to tackle its economic difficulties. Based on its national conditions, China not only firmly defends the basic development rights of developing
countries in climate change conferences, but also provides assistance to developing
countries in green technology transfer, financial support, and education. In terms of
funding, at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, General Secretary Xi Jinping announced the establishment of “South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund” to financially support developing countries along with other channels
such as the Silk Road Fund, the BRICS Fund and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Meanwhile, China will continue to increase its investment in the least
developed countries and cancel the intergovernmental interest-free loan debts of the
least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and developing smallisland nations that were not paid off at the end of 2015. In terms of technological
support, China will set up an international development knowledge centre to discuss
the construction of a global energy network to promote clean and green ways to
meet global electricity demand. In 2016, it initiated the “Ten-Hundred-Thousand”
project of South-South cooperation on climate change—establishing 10 low-carbon
demonstration zones, launching 100 mitigation and adaptation projects, and initiating 1,000 cooperation projects for climate change training in developing countries.
In 2017, China started carbon emission trading pilot schemes nationwide to see how
to cut emissions through market mechanisms—measures fully showing its courage
to assume responsibilities of global climate governance as a major and responsible
country.
2. The institutional level: supply of institutional public goods
In the face of climate change, now a global public health issue, setting the agenda and
shaping issues are the basis for achieving consensus among all parties, and it requires
both teamwork and contributions from responsible countries willing to take the lead.
At critical moments of international climate negotiations when difficult issues arise
and make negotiations reaching deadlock, countries with a leading status should
strive to balance the interests of all parties while adhering to the bottom line, and use
flexible solutions to reach consensus. China has always been an active participant
in international climate negotiations, with presence in every international climate
convention. China adheres to the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” and adopts a consensus decision-making mechanism under the framework
of the United Nations, thus making outstanding contributions to the conclusion, entry
into force and implementation of the Paris Agreement.
At the beginning of the negotiation for the Paris Agreement, in view of the large
differences between the North and South camps, China started bilateral negotiations
with major countries, making progress step by step through mediation and seeking the
most basic consensus. It held talks on climate change with India, Brazil, the European
G. Zhuang
economic uncertainties. Faced with a huge capital and technology gap, they have
stagnated and even withdrawn.
In contrast, with years of steady and high-speed economic development, China
has greatly improved its overall national strength while actively exploring the path
of transformation to tackle its economic difficulties. Based on its national conditions, China not only firmly defends the basic development rights of developing
countries in climate change conferences, but also provides assistance to developing
countries in green technology transfer, financial support, and education. In terms of
funding, at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, General Secretary Xi Jinping announced the establishment of “South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund” to financially support developing countries along with other channels
such as the Silk Road Fund, the BRICS Fund and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Meanwhile, China will continue to increase its investment in the least
developed countries and cancel the intergovernmental interest-free loan debts of the
least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and developing smallisland nations that were not paid off at the end of 2015. In terms of technological
support, China will set up an international development knowledge centre to discuss
the construction of a global energy network to promote clean and green ways to
meet global electricity demand. In 2016, it initiated the “Ten-Hundred-Thousand”
project of South-South cooperation on climate change—establishing 10 low-carbon
demonstration zones, launching 100 mitigation and adaptation projects, and initiating 1,000 cooperation projects for climate change training in developing countries.
In 2017, China started carbon emission trading pilot schemes nationwide to see how
to cut emissions through market mechanisms—measures fully showing its courage
to assume responsibilities of global climate governance as a major and responsible
country.
2. The institutional level: supply of institutional public goods
In the face of climate change, now a global public health issue, setting the agenda and
shaping issues are the basis for achieving consensus among all parties, and it requires
both teamwork and contributions from responsible countries willing to take the lead.
At critical moments of international climate negotiations when difficult issues arise
and make negotiations reaching deadlock, countries with a leading status should
strive to balance the interests of all parties while adhering to the bottom line, and use
flexible solutions to reach consensus. China has always been an active participant
in international climate negotiations, with presence in every international climate
convention. China adheres to the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” and adopts a consensus decision-making mechanism under the framework
of the United Nations, thus making outstanding contributions to the conclusion, entry
into force and implementation of the Paris Agreement.
At the beginning of the negotiation for the Paris Agreement, in view of the large
differences between the North and South camps, China started bilateral negotiations
with major countries, making progress step by step through mediation and seeking the
most basic consensus. It held talks on climate change with India, Brazil, the European