Foreword I
Global climate change has become one of the gravest challenges that impede human
survival and development in this century. Though global climate governance has
moved into a phase characterized by full implementation of Paris Agreement, actions
in the NDCs submitted so far are still not ambitious enough to keep global temperature
increase below 2 °C. The IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C
has underscored the urgency of tackling climate change, reinforcing and advancing
the global target of “carbon neutrality”. In the meantime, however, the world is
witnessing an unprecedented change that is rarely seen in a century, which leads
to greater uncertainty in the fight against climate change. More than ever, countries
need to work together to advance climate governance and sustainable development.
China has always viewed addressing climate change as its major responsibility
and a central part of promoting energy and economic transition, eco-civilization and
a community with a shared future for mankind. Over the years, China has continued
to implement and strengthen its national strategy on climate change, set targets and
action plans for energy conservation and emission reduction in a bid to achieve a
sustainable development of green, low carbon and circular, and demonstrate its leadership in the low-carbon transition of global energy and economy. As evidenced
by China’s policies and practices, there could be alignment and synergy between
tackling climate change and driving sustainable development, because: (1) the fight
against climate change will prompt the low-carbon transition of energy and economy,
upgrade industrial structure and boost sustainable economic and social development;
(2) active efforts to tackle climate change will contribute to co-governance of environmental protection and high-quality development, create a win-win scenario of
high-quality growth, environment improvement and CO 2 emission reduction, and
promote ecological civilization; (3) extensive engagement and active leadership in
global climate governance will help build a community with a shared future for
mankind. Increasing international cooperation in advanced energy technologies and
industries not only boosts win-win cooperation and common development among
countries, but also facilitates global response to ecological crisis, with more common
interests and potential for cooperation, thus becoming the pioneer and paragon for
building a community with a shared future for mankind.
vii
Global climate change has become one of the gravest challenges that impede human
survival and development in this century. Though global climate governance has
moved into a phase characterized by full implementation of Paris Agreement, actions
in the NDCs submitted so far are still not ambitious enough to keep global temperature
increase below 2 °C. The IPCC’s Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C
has underscored the urgency of tackling climate change, reinforcing and advancing
the global target of “carbon neutrality”. In the meantime, however, the world is
witnessing an unprecedented change that is rarely seen in a century, which leads
to greater uncertainty in the fight against climate change. More than ever, countries
need to work together to advance climate governance and sustainable development.
China has always viewed addressing climate change as its major responsibility
and a central part of promoting energy and economic transition, eco-civilization and
a community with a shared future for mankind. Over the years, China has continued
to implement and strengthen its national strategy on climate change, set targets and
action plans for energy conservation and emission reduction in a bid to achieve a
sustainable development of green, low carbon and circular, and demonstrate its leadership in the low-carbon transition of global energy and economy. As evidenced
by China’s policies and practices, there could be alignment and synergy between
tackling climate change and driving sustainable development, because: (1) the fight
against climate change will prompt the low-carbon transition of energy and economy,
upgrade industrial structure and boost sustainable economic and social development;
(2) active efforts to tackle climate change will contribute to co-governance of environmental protection and high-quality development, create a win-win scenario of
high-quality growth, environment improvement and CO 2 emission reduction, and
promote ecological civilization; (3) extensive engagement and active leadership in
global climate governance will help build a community with a shared future for
mankind. Increasing international cooperation in advanced energy technologies and
industries not only boosts win-win cooperation and common development among
countries, but also facilitates global response to ecological crisis, with more common
interests and potential for cooperation, thus becoming the pioneer and paragon for
building a community with a shared future for mankind.
vii