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China and Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities

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Research Institute for Environmental Law. Wuhan University School of Law. Wuhan, Hubei Province ... 'Unilateral' Action by the U.S.. China is now the #1 emitter ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: China and Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities


1
China and Climate Change Challenges and
Opportunities
Trish McCubbinAssociate ProfessorSouthern
Illinois University School of Law
2
Research Institute for Environmental Law Wuhan
University School of Law Wuhan, Hubei Province
3
Concerns About Unilateral Action by the U.S.
  • ? China is now the 1 emitter of greenhouse
    gases (GHGs) by annual volume.
  • ? Some assume China is doing nothing to reign in
    its GHGs, just like 10 years ago during the Kyoto
    negotiations.

4
Roadmap for Future Negotiations with China
  • ? Chinas New Political Will to Address GHGs
  • Common but
  • Differentiated
  • Commitments from Developed and
    Developing Nations
  • ? Need for Improvements in the Rule of Law in
    China

5
The New Chinese Political Will to Address GHGs
International Pressures
  • Fourth Assessment Report of
    Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
    (2007)

2008 Olympics in Beijing
6
The New Chinese Political Will to Address GHGs
(Continued)
Domestic Pressures
  • New study by Chinese government of domestic
    climate change impacts (June 2007) -
    Loss of agricultural production
  • - Melting of Tibetan plateau
  • - Destruction of habitat for giant panda
  • - Flooding of coastal areas from sea
    level rise

7
The New Chinese Political Will to Address GHGs
(Continued)
Chinas Severe Domestic Environmental Degradation
  • 16 out of 20 of the worlds most
    polluted cities are in China.
  • Only 1 of cities meets modern
    air quality standards.
  • World Bank estimate 750,000
  • premature deaths each year
  • from air pollution

Living in Chinas most polluted cities is a
pulmonary disaster equivalent to smoking two
packs of cigarettes a day. State
Environmental Protection Administration Official
8
Governments Strong Desire to Address Domestic
Environmental Conditions
  • Growing citizen protests
  • - est. 50,000 annually
  • Government concern
  • about social instability

9
Governments Strong Desire to Address Domestic
Environmental Conditions
  • Governments own Green GDP
    calculation in 2006
  • 3 annual loss
  • World Banks estimate
  • 8 annual loss

October 7, 2009
Prof. Trish McCubbin
9
10
Chinas Domestic Commitments on GHGs So Far
  • 11th Five-Year Plan (2006)
  • ? National Climate Change Programme (June
    2007)
  • ? National Energy Plan (December 2007)

11
Chinas Domestic Commitments on GHGs So Far
(Continued)
  • Commitments
  • - Improved energy efficiency (target 4
    reduction each year)
  • - Greater fuel efficiency
    standards for vehicles
  • - More reliance on non-carbon
    fuels
  • - Use of carbon capture and
    sequestration at coal-fired power plants

12
Merely Paper Commitments?
  • 2006 goal of reducing energy usage not met only
    reduced by 1.23, not 4
  • Similar goal for 2007 also missed reduced only
    by 3.27
  • 2008 4 goal supposedly met

October 7, 2009
Prof. Trish McCubbin
12
13
Important Signals of Cooperation from Chinese
Central Government
  • President Hu Jintao
  • China can no longer afford the excessively
    high price to the environment caused by the
    nations rapid economic growth. (Oct. 2007)
  • Chinese Diplomat at Bali negotiations
  • China will follow if the European Union and the
    United States lead in international efforts to
    address GHGs. (Dec. 2007)

14
Key Differences BetweenChina and U.S.
  • Population
  • China1.3 Billion
  • America0.3 Billion
  • U.S. per capita GHG emissions are
    4 to 5 times Chinas.
  • Pollution by Proxy
  • Carnegie and
  • Tyndall Studies

15
Poverty and Chinas Status as a Truly Developing
Country
  • World Bank estimates 300 million Chinese
    live below poverty level.
  • 100s of millions live above the poverty line
    but are still unable to afford basics like
    education or healthcare.

16
U.S. and International Recognition of Common but
Differentiated Responsibilities of All Nations
  • Agreements
  • ? U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change
    (1992)
  • ? APEC Summit Statement (September
    2007)
  • ? Bali Action Plan (December 2007)

17
Common But Differentiated Responsibilities in
Practice
  • For U.S. and other developed nations
  • Annual cap on GHG emissions set
    substantially below current levels
  • For China and other developing nations
  • Growth of GHGs, but with measures to slow
    the growth
  • and (ideally) peak in 2020 or 2025
  • Bali Plan Measurable, verifiable and
    reportable

18
The Need for Improvements in the Rule of Law
Structural Problems with Environmental Legal
Regime
? Low penalties ? Enforcement by provincial
officials with conflicts of interest ?
Limited role for citizens
19
The Need for Improvements in the Rule of Law
(Continued)
Broader Challenges to the Rule of Law Generally
  • Judiciary subject to
  • political pressure
  • Corruption found within
  • judiciary
  • Challenge of modernizing
  • judicial system
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