Paradigm Shift in International Climate Governance: From Cost …
745
6 Prospects of International Climate Governance
The Paris Agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals have become
a new driving force for global green development. Research by the International
Energy Agency shows that in 2015 global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions
remained the same as that in 2013, yet the world saw a global economic growth of
more than 3%. It indicates that global economic growth is being decoupled from the
increase in carbon emissions—a situation directly related to the rapid development
of renewable energy and the continuous shrinking of the coal industry. In 2017, 70%
of the global net added power generation came from renewable energy resources.
Global investment in renewable energy power generation is more than twice the total
investment in fossil fuel and nuclear power generation. Global climate governance
has achieved initial results. The year 2015 witnessed two important international
achievements in global green development, namely the Paris Agreement and the
2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The results of the Paris Agreement, authorized by the Rio Conference, automatically became a part of the 2030 Sustainable
Development Goals. Therefore, the two processes are highly interrelated and can
also work together and promote each other to serve as a new force driving the green
development around the world.
International climate governance has become a resilient trend. The Paris Agreement, a milestone achievement made by more than 100 heads of state, including the
heads of China and the United States, is a treaty in which all countries expressed their
willingness to act more independently instead of just taking cooperative actions, thus
forging a new paradigm involving joint actions for international climate governance.
The United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement just over half a year after the
Agreement came into effect, which is an unwanted action with a negative impact on
the global joint effort to mitigate climate change. However, the international community has been adapting pretty well because it has seen similarly subversive situation
caused by a shift in political power in the United States. Against the background of a
decline in the global influence of America’s politics and economy, and the rapid rise
in the influence of emerging economies concerned about environmental and development issues, the United States Republican administration’s announcement, once
again, of its plan to withdraw from international climate governance process has far
less impact than the Bush administration’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol. The
United States, a developed country with the greatest historical emission responsibility, as well as the strongest economic strength and capacity for taking action to
mitigate climate change, ignores the common willingness and efforts of the international community to cope with climate change and insists on withdrawing from the
Paris Agreement. It has been, and will be, condemned by the international community. To offset the negative consequences of its withdrawal, other parties (including
China), international organizations and the private sector, who are concerned about
economic progress and environmental security, will be more pragmatic and engage
in close cooperation to fully realize the goals of the Paris Agreement and to ensure
global climate security.
745
6 Prospects of International Climate Governance
The Paris Agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals have become
a new driving force for global green development. Research by the International
Energy Agency shows that in 2015 global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions
remained the same as that in 2013, yet the world saw a global economic growth of
more than 3%. It indicates that global economic growth is being decoupled from the
increase in carbon emissions—a situation directly related to the rapid development
of renewable energy and the continuous shrinking of the coal industry. In 2017, 70%
of the global net added power generation came from renewable energy resources.
Global investment in renewable energy power generation is more than twice the total
investment in fossil fuel and nuclear power generation. Global climate governance
has achieved initial results. The year 2015 witnessed two important international
achievements in global green development, namely the Paris Agreement and the
2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The results of the Paris Agreement, authorized by the Rio Conference, automatically became a part of the 2030 Sustainable
Development Goals. Therefore, the two processes are highly interrelated and can
also work together and promote each other to serve as a new force driving the green
development around the world.
International climate governance has become a resilient trend. The Paris Agreement, a milestone achievement made by more than 100 heads of state, including the
heads of China and the United States, is a treaty in which all countries expressed their
willingness to act more independently instead of just taking cooperative actions, thus
forging a new paradigm involving joint actions for international climate governance.
The United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement just over half a year after the
Agreement came into effect, which is an unwanted action with a negative impact on
the global joint effort to mitigate climate change. However, the international community has been adapting pretty well because it has seen similarly subversive situation
caused by a shift in political power in the United States. Against the background of a
decline in the global influence of America’s politics and economy, and the rapid rise
in the influence of emerging economies concerned about environmental and development issues, the United States Republican administration’s announcement, once
again, of its plan to withdraw from international climate governance process has far
less impact than the Bush administration’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol. The
United States, a developed country with the greatest historical emission responsibility, as well as the strongest economic strength and capacity for taking action to
mitigate climate change, ignores the common willingness and efforts of the international community to cope with climate change and insists on withdrawing from the
Paris Agreement. It has been, and will be, condemned by the international community. To offset the negative consequences of its withdrawal, other parties (including
China), international organizations and the private sector, who are concerned about
economic progress and environmental security, will be more pragmatic and engage
in close cooperation to fully realize the goals of the Paris Agreement and to ensure
global climate security.