Paradigm Shift in International Climate Governance: From Cost …
741
types: political, technical and economically incentive. First, the political mechanisms
include the United Nations Climate Summit, the Forum on Millennium Development
Goals, the Energy and Climate Forum of Economic Powers, the G20, the G8, APEC
meetings, etc. The common feature of these mechanisms is that heads of government or high-level officials participate in consultation and reach political consensus
on some major issues, but generally do not discuss specific technical details. Political
non-convention mechanisms like the United Nations Climate Summit usually play
an important role in overall, long-term, and political issues. Because of the high-level
participation, at such conferences, especially summits of the heads of states, leaders
often solve some long-term problems the technical groups face under the Convention, thereby advancing the negotiation process of the Convention. Second, technical
non-convention mechanisms mainly include cooperation mechanisms such as the
International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization,
and the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Change.
These mechanisms carry out special research and discussion on specific issues in
the negotiation of the Convention, and feed back the results and suggestions, so as
to promote the negotiation process of related issues under the Convention. Technical mechanisms have limitations: first, climate change is not the main business of
these institutions or mechanisms, and their focus and purposes may be different from
those of the Convention; next, varied mechanisms or institutions also have their own
rules of procedure and guiding principles, which may be different from those of the
Convention—a fact that may lead to mismatches in understanding. Finally, economically incentive/binding mechanisms, including climate change-related trade mechanisms, standard-setting mechanisms related to production activities and domestic
and foreign market expansion, and other non-convention consultation mechanisms.
Economically incentive measures are a supplementary negotiation topic in the negotiation of the Convention. Most of the time, the negotiation is not about the core concern
of the Convention, but the negotiated issues are closely relevant to the operations of
the real economy and the development interests of related industries and fields. These
mechanisms, such as trade mechanisms and standard-setting mechanisms, have been
developed for a long time and existed before the climate change issue became an
international governance mechanism. However, after the emergence of the climate
change governance mechanism, the boundaries between these various mechanisms
are blurred. As such, discussion and consultation of climate change issues through
these mechanisms includes not only technical issues, but also political and principle
ones.
We should build an efficient and fair international cooperation mechanism, the
purpose of which is to promote cooperation among countries around the world to
coordinate the governance of climate change issues. A fair and efficient international
cooperation mechanism is the basis for improving international cooperation governance and achieving the goal of international cooperation governance as well. From
the perspective of the comprehensive influence of various mechanisms in international climate governance in terms of the role, function, binding force, and degree of
participation, the Convention should undoubtedly play a leading role in the process
741
types: political, technical and economically incentive. First, the political mechanisms
include the United Nations Climate Summit, the Forum on Millennium Development
Goals, the Energy and Climate Forum of Economic Powers, the G20, the G8, APEC
meetings, etc. The common feature of these mechanisms is that heads of government or high-level officials participate in consultation and reach political consensus
on some major issues, but generally do not discuss specific technical details. Political
non-convention mechanisms like the United Nations Climate Summit usually play
an important role in overall, long-term, and political issues. Because of the high-level
participation, at such conferences, especially summits of the heads of states, leaders
often solve some long-term problems the technical groups face under the Convention, thereby advancing the negotiation process of the Convention. Second, technical
non-convention mechanisms mainly include cooperation mechanisms such as the
International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization,
and the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Change.
These mechanisms carry out special research and discussion on specific issues in
the negotiation of the Convention, and feed back the results and suggestions, so as
to promote the negotiation process of related issues under the Convention. Technical mechanisms have limitations: first, climate change is not the main business of
these institutions or mechanisms, and their focus and purposes may be different from
those of the Convention; next, varied mechanisms or institutions also have their own
rules of procedure and guiding principles, which may be different from those of the
Convention—a fact that may lead to mismatches in understanding. Finally, economically incentive/binding mechanisms, including climate change-related trade mechanisms, standard-setting mechanisms related to production activities and domestic
and foreign market expansion, and other non-convention consultation mechanisms.
Economically incentive measures are a supplementary negotiation topic in the negotiation of the Convention. Most of the time, the negotiation is not about the core concern
of the Convention, but the negotiated issues are closely relevant to the operations of
the real economy and the development interests of related industries and fields. These
mechanisms, such as trade mechanisms and standard-setting mechanisms, have been
developed for a long time and existed before the climate change issue became an
international governance mechanism. However, after the emergence of the climate
change governance mechanism, the boundaries between these various mechanisms
are blurred. As such, discussion and consultation of climate change issues through
these mechanisms includes not only technical issues, but also political and principle
ones.
We should build an efficient and fair international cooperation mechanism, the
purpose of which is to promote cooperation among countries around the world to
coordinate the governance of climate change issues. A fair and efficient international
cooperation mechanism is the basis for improving international cooperation governance and achieving the goal of international cooperation governance as well. From
the perspective of the comprehensive influence of various mechanisms in international climate governance in terms of the role, function, binding force, and degree of
participation, the Convention should undoubtedly play a leading role in the process