Paradigm Shift in International Climate Governance: From Cost …
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of supervision and assessment. Regarding the commitments, we can say that developing countries basically converge with developed countries in responsibilities and
obligations.
This trend came with an economic reason. From the year 2000 onwards, with the
rapid economic progress of developing countries, especially emerging economies,
the international economic pattern was undergoing significant changes. The share of
developed countries (ECD countries) in the world economy was declining year by
year, from over 70% of global GDP in 2000 to 62% in 2017; their share of export
trade in the world was also declining year by year, dropping from around 75% in 1998
to 58% in 2017. From the perspective of the global emission pattern, the greenhouse
gas emissions by developing countries were rising rapidly, with the proportion of
developed countries dropping from 66% in 1990 to 41.4% in 2012. Changes in the
world’s economic, trade and emission patterns will likely affect a country’s willingness to participate in global governance, including international climate governance.
Developed countries may become more conservative in terms of their willingness
to make investment, propose cooperation methods, take emission reduction actions,
and pursue trade protection, and also demand actions from developing countries who
may be more active in their response according to their economic progress.
The per capita cumulative emission is an indicator that better reflects a
country’s historical responsibility. According to the World Resources Institute’s
CAIT database, the per capita cumulative emissions from developed countries are
generally very high, with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany all
exceeding 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per capita, while developing countries generally do not exceed 100 tons. China’s value of 104 tons is in the middle
among developing countries, and India stands only at 29 tons. Climate change is
caused by greenhouse gas emissions over the course of history. Judging from the per
capita cumulative emissions of each country, we can identify how much responsibility a country should take in international cooperation to address climate change
and how much room left for its emissions in the future. Therefore, although the willingness and ability of developing countries to act have been strengthened compared
with when the Convention was reached, developed countries still keep the same
responsibilities and obligations to intensify their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in international climate governance.
5 The Establishment of a New Paradigm for International
Climate Governance
The Paris Conference is undoubtedly another landmark meeting in international
climate governance after the Copenhagen Conference. The heads of state of major
parties such as China and the United States gathered in Paris and issued a political
declaration of active cooperation and action—an extremely important and efficient
global political mobilization. Compared with the Copenhagen meeting, the heads of
743
of supervision and assessment. Regarding the commitments, we can say that developing countries basically converge with developed countries in responsibilities and
obligations.
This trend came with an economic reason. From the year 2000 onwards, with the
rapid economic progress of developing countries, especially emerging economies,
the international economic pattern was undergoing significant changes. The share of
developed countries (ECD countries) in the world economy was declining year by
year, from over 70% of global GDP in 2000 to 62% in 2017; their share of export
trade in the world was also declining year by year, dropping from around 75% in 1998
to 58% in 2017. From the perspective of the global emission pattern, the greenhouse
gas emissions by developing countries were rising rapidly, with the proportion of
developed countries dropping from 66% in 1990 to 41.4% in 2012. Changes in the
world’s economic, trade and emission patterns will likely affect a country’s willingness to participate in global governance, including international climate governance.
Developed countries may become more conservative in terms of their willingness
to make investment, propose cooperation methods, take emission reduction actions,
and pursue trade protection, and also demand actions from developing countries who
may be more active in their response according to their economic progress.
The per capita cumulative emission is an indicator that better reflects a
country’s historical responsibility. According to the World Resources Institute’s
CAIT database, the per capita cumulative emissions from developed countries are
generally very high, with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany all
exceeding 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per capita, while developing countries generally do not exceed 100 tons. China’s value of 104 tons is in the middle
among developing countries, and India stands only at 29 tons. Climate change is
caused by greenhouse gas emissions over the course of history. Judging from the per
capita cumulative emissions of each country, we can identify how much responsibility a country should take in international cooperation to address climate change
and how much room left for its emissions in the future. Therefore, although the willingness and ability of developing countries to act have been strengthened compared
with when the Convention was reached, developed countries still keep the same
responsibilities and obligations to intensify their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in international climate governance.
5 The Establishment of a New Paradigm for International
Climate Governance
The Paris Conference is undoubtedly another landmark meeting in international
climate governance after the Copenhagen Conference. The heads of state of major
parties such as China and the United States gathered in Paris and issued a political
declaration of active cooperation and action—an extremely important and efficient
global political mobilization. Compared with the Copenhagen meeting, the heads of