卡内基国际和平基金会-Understanding-China-s-Policies-and-Actions-for-Addressing-Climate-Change_55页_262kb

China's Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change

Core Content

China, as a developing country with a large population and a fragile ecological environment, is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. The country has taken a proactive stance in addressing climate change, integrating it into its national development strategy and implementing a range of policies and actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts.

Main Views

1. Climate Change and National Circumstances

• Global Warming: The global average surface temperature has increased by 0.74°C over the past century, and is projected to rise by 1.1–6.4°C by the end of the 21st century.
• China's Temperature Rise: China's temperature rise has followed the global trend, with an increase of 1.1°C over the last 100 years (1908–2007).
• Climate Characteristics: China has a complex climate and seasonal temperature variations, with uneven precipitation distribution and a fragile ecological environment.
• Population and Development: China's population is 1.321 billion, with a low level of urbanization and per-capita GDP. The country faces significant challenges in poverty alleviation and technological innovation.
• Energy Mix: China's coal-dominated energy mix makes it difficult to control greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Impacts of Climate Change on China

• Agriculture and Livestock: Reduced crop yields, increased drought and heat impacts, and more frequent natural disasters.
• Forestry and Natural Ecological Systems: Shift in forest belts, increased disease outbreaks, and shrinking glaciers and wetlands.
• Water Resources: Changes in water distribution, increased flood and drought frequency, and reduced water availability in northern China.
• Coastal Zones: Sea-level rise, seawater intrusion, coastal erosion, and degradation of marine ecosystems.
• Society and Economy: Increased health risks, economic losses, and threats to infrastructure and social stability.

Key Policies and Actions

I. Strategies and Objectives

• Sustainable Development: Climate change is addressed in the context of sustainable development, aiming for a win-win outcome between economic growth and environmental protection.
• Common but Differentiated Responsibilities: Developed countries are expected to take the lead in reducing emissions and supporting developing countries.
• Balanced Approach: Emphasis is placed on both mitigation and adaptation, with adaptation being more urgent for developing countries.
• International Cooperation: China adheres to the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol, and promotes bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
• Technology and Innovation: Strengthening R&D, promoting technology transfer, and building independent innovation capacity.
• Public Participation: Enhancing public awareness and encouraging societal involvement in climate action.

II. Mitigation Policies

1. Adjusting Economic Structure

• Service Industry Development: The government aims to increase the service industry's GDP contribution by 3 percentage points from 2005 to 2010.
• High-Tech Industries: Policies support the development of high-tech sectors such as IT, bioengineering, and new energy, with a target of increasing their added value by 5 percentage points.
• Phasing Out Backward Production: A timetable was announced to phase out outdated production capacity in 13 industries, including shutting down 14.38 GW of small thermal power units and eliminating 130 million tons of obsolete industrial capacity.

2. Saving Energy and Improving Efficiency

• Energy Conservation as Policy: Energy conservation is a fundamental national policy, with measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.
• Market Entry Standards: Tightened standards for high energy and emission-intensive industries to restrict their expansion.
• Tax and Customs Adjustments: Adjusted export tax rebates and customs duties to limit the export of energy-intensive and polluting products.

III. Adaptation Policies

• Disaster Monitoring and Early Warning: Strengthened multi-disaster monitoring systems and early warning capabilities.
• Farmland Infrastructure and Cropping Systems: Improved farmland infrastructure, adjusted cropping systems, and developed stress-resistant crop varieties.
• Ecological Restoration: Restored degraded grasslands, improved soil erosion control, and expanded ecological protection areas.
• Water Resource Management: Optimized water resource allocation and improved water conservation and monitoring.
• Coastal Protection: Protected and restored coastal wetlands, planted shelterbelts, and regulated marine and coastal ecosystems.

Conclusion

China's approach to climate change is comprehensive, integrating mitigation and adaptation strategies with sustainable development and international cooperation. The country has set clear objectives and implemented a range of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance adaptation capacity, and promote public awareness. Despite challenges, China remains committed to playing a constructive role in global climate governance.