Paradigm Shift in International Climate
Governance: From Cost Game to Joint
Action
Mou Wang
It has been 27 years since international climate governance was established in 1992
when the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC,
hereafter referred to as the Convention) was signed following the enhanced climate
and environmental awareness of the international community in the 1980s. During
this period, adjustments in the international economy, emissions of greenhouse gases
and political patterns led to dynamic changes in the structure, functions, and mechanisms of international climate governance. Teasing out and analyzing the process and
characteristics of dynamically evolving international climate governance allows us to
better understand the trend of climate governance and to participate in international
climate governance more efficiently.
1 The Basic Course of International Climate Governance
With the increased number of extreme climate events and deeper scientific research on
climate change issues, the international community has become increasingly aware
that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities have threatened the safety and
development of human society. Emissions of greenhouse gases from any region could
have negative consequences for the whole world. In the 1970s, to effectively mitigate climate change, the international community was trying to address this global
crisis through international collaboration. The Convention was finally adopted at the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. It was signed
by 154 participating countries and the heads of state or high-level representatives of
M. Wang (B)
The Research Centre for Sustainable Development, The 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_73
737
Governance: From Cost Game to Joint
Action
Mou Wang
It has been 27 years since international climate governance was established in 1992
when the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC,
hereafter referred to as the Convention) was signed following the enhanced climate
and environmental awareness of the international community in the 1980s. During
this period, adjustments in the international economy, emissions of greenhouse gases
and political patterns led to dynamic changes in the structure, functions, and mechanisms of international climate governance. Teasing out and analyzing the process and
characteristics of dynamically evolving international climate governance allows us to
better understand the trend of climate governance and to participate in international
climate governance more efficiently.
1 The Basic Course of International Climate Governance
With the increased number of extreme climate events and deeper scientific research on
climate change issues, the international community has become increasingly aware
that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities have threatened the safety and
development of human society. Emissions of greenhouse gases from any region could
have negative consequences for the whole world. In the 1970s, to effectively mitigate climate change, the international community was trying to address this global
crisis through international collaboration. The Convention was finally adopted at the
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. It was signed
by 154 participating countries and the heads of state or high-level representatives of
M. Wang (B)
The Research Centre for Sustainable Development, The 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_73
737