As many of us wonder what will happen in the international negotiations to establish a post-Kyoto Protocol agreement, China looms as a central part of the negotiations as China edges out the United States as the leading greenhouse gas emitter. To understand China's current position, I went to the source: China's National Climate Change Programme. This document has some interesting insights into the positions of the Chinese government. Here are some of the more salient points.
On the Kyoto Protocol
Climate change, the impacts of which have been felt all over the world, was mainly caused by the massive emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases originated from developed countries since industrial revolution. Broad international cooperation is necessary to address climate change. In order to effectively address climate change and implement this national programme, China is ready to strengthen international cooperation with all countries. Meanwhile, China would like to appeal to the developed countries to sincerely fulfill their commitments under the Convention to provide financial assistance and transfer technology to developing countries so as to enhance their capacity to address climate change.
On Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions is one of the important components in addressing climate change. According to the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” of the UNFCCC, the Parties included in Annex I to the Convention should take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For developing countries with less historical emission and current low per capita emission, their priority is to achieve sustainable development. As a developing country, China will stick to its sustainable development strategy and take such measures as energy efficiency improvement, energy conservation, development of renewable energy, ecological preservation and construction, as well as large-scale tree planting and afforestation, to control its greenhouse gas emissions and make further contribution to the protection of global climate system.
On Technology Cooperation and Transfer
technology cooperation and transfer should be strengthened to share the benefit of technological development worldwide. Measures in this regard should include the following: establishing an effective technology cooperation mechanism to promote R&D, deployment and transfer of technology of addressing climate change; eliminating obstacles to technology cooperation and transfer in terms of policy, institution, procedures, financial resources and protection of intellectual property rights; initiating incentive measures for technology cooperation and transfer to ensure its occurrence in reality; establishing a special fund for international technology cooperation so that environment-and-climate-friendly technologies are accessible and affordable to developing countries.
Technology will play the central role in addressing climate change. International
Technology need for mitigation of climate change. China is at the stage of large-scale infrastructure construction, and is in urgent need of technology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. China’s technology need for mitigation of climate change mainly covers advanced energy production and utilization technology, environmental protection and resource comprehensive utilization technology, high-efficiency transportation technology, new material technology, new-style building material technology, etc. Among these needs, the high-efficiency, low-pollution coal-burning power generation technology, large hydropower generation unit technology, new generation nuclear technology, renewable energy technology, building energy conservation technology, clean fuel vehicle technology, hybrid vehicle technology, urban rail-based traffic technology, fuel cell and hydrogen technology, oxygen-rich coal-spray blast furnace & long-life span technology, comprehensive technology for transformation and expansion of medium and small nitrogenous production facilities, new paving material technology, and new-type wall-body material technology are the priorities. Introduction and diffusion of these technologies in China will make significant difference to the country’s efforts to control greenhouse gas emissions.
Thus far, China has not been willing to agree to limits on its greenhouse gas emissions. Whether international pressure will be sufficient to convince China to agree to caps and then reductions will in part depend on the willingness of the United States to agree to such limits.
