1 China’s Energy Transition Strategy in the Context of Global …
3
Fig. 1.1 Analysis framework of energy transition strategy
1.2 China’s Energy Challenge in View of Global Climate
Change
1.2.1 The Global Climate Change Faces Severe Challenge
To tackle global climate change challenge, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) issued a total of five scientific assessment reports between 1990 and
2014, underscoring the scientificity, urgency, and severity of the issue. The IPCC’s
fifth report (IPCC 2014a, b) suggested that global warming was beyond all doubt,
and that more than half of the observed increase of global average temperature from
1951 to 2010 was “very likely” (over 95% probability) caused by human influence
on the climate. Unabated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will trigger a warming
trend and long-term changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the
likelihood of serious, universal and irreversible impacts on humans and ecosystems.
Without greater mitigation efforts (reduction of GHG emissions), even with adaptation measures, the severe impacts and high risks of climate change will continue at
least by the end of this century.
To deal with global climate change, the Paris Agreement was adopted at the
UN Conference on Climate Change in 2015, which set the goal of “keeping global
average temperature rise within 2 °C in this century” (UNFCCC 2015). However, the
3
Fig. 1.1 Analysis framework of energy transition strategy
1.2 China’s Energy Challenge in View of Global Climate
Change
1.2.1 The Global Climate Change Faces Severe Challenge
To tackle global climate change challenge, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) issued a total of five scientific assessment reports between 1990 and
2014, underscoring the scientificity, urgency, and severity of the issue. The IPCC’s
fifth report (IPCC 2014a, b) suggested that global warming was beyond all doubt,
and that more than half of the observed increase of global average temperature from
1951 to 2010 was “very likely” (over 95% probability) caused by human influence
on the climate. Unabated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will trigger a warming
trend and long-term changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the
likelihood of serious, universal and irreversible impacts on humans and ecosystems.
Without greater mitigation efforts (reduction of GHG emissions), even with adaptation measures, the severe impacts and high risks of climate change will continue at
least by the end of this century.
To deal with global climate change, the Paris Agreement was adopted at the
UN Conference on Climate Change in 2015, which set the goal of “keeping global
average temperature rise within 2 °C in this century” (UNFCCC 2015). However, the