China has been at the top of the international agenda when bringing up the issue of climate change and this is because of the controversial position of the Chinese government on the matter throughout the years. China has ratified the Kyoto Protocol; nevertheless the country was exempt from committing to an emissions target reduction since China was not one of the main contributors to global warming during the period of industrialization that is believed to be the cause of climate change (Feldon, 2007: 60). Statistics taken from The Statistics Portal, show that China is the current greatest emitter of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, in which it was accounted for over 23.4 per cent of green house gas (GHG) emissions in 2014 (The Statistics
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Nevertheless, as part of the lead up to the Paris climate conference, China has intensified carbon reduction and reaffirms an unexpected 2030 emissions target. This paper will begin by outlining China’s priorities and goals for the Paris climate summit that can be seen in its new approach towards the matter. Second, the paper will discuss the domestic and international pressures that have pushed the country to take a dramatic step forward on the matter as acting on climate change has now become essential for China’s security. Finally, the paper will talk about China’s alliance formations, while focusing on the U.S and China taking steps forward to achieve an agreement at the Paris climate talks that has not been the case in past …show more content…
On the Domestic end, China is a developing country with a population of over 1.3 billion and is among the developing countries will be hit the hardest by the impacts of climate change. In the document submitted to the UN by China ahead of the Paris talks, China states that the country is now driven by its understanding of the responsibility to “fully engage in global governance, to forge a community of shared destiny for human kind and to promote common development for all human beings” (UNFCCC document, 2015: 2). Furthermore, as part of China’s process of rapid industrialization, multiple challenges are posed on the country including social and economic development of citizens, environmental challenges and combating climate change. Therefore, China understands that acting on climate change is in China’s domestic needs for sustainable development, which will improve and ensure China’s security (UNFCCC document, 2015: 2). On the international side, very often states are blamed for stalling climate negotiations that have been considered as failures in so far. The U.S for example has been blamed for destroying the Kyoto Protocol, due to China’s exemption from reducing emissions, however this was not the end for the U.S – China
Nevertheless, as part of the lead up to the Paris climate conference, China has intensified carbon reduction and reaffirms an unexpected 2030 emissions target. This paper will begin by outlining China’s priorities and goals for the Paris climate summit that can be seen in its new approach towards the matter. Second, the paper will discuss the domestic and international pressures that have pushed the country to take a dramatic step forward on the matter as acting on climate change has now become essential for China’s security. Finally, the paper will talk about China’s alliance formations, while focusing on the U.S and China taking steps forward to achieve an agreement at the Paris climate talks that has not been the case in past …show more content…
On the Domestic end, China is a developing country with a population of over 1.3 billion and is among the developing countries will be hit the hardest by the impacts of climate change. In the document submitted to the UN by China ahead of the Paris talks, China states that the country is now driven by its understanding of the responsibility to “fully engage in global governance, to forge a community of shared destiny for human kind and to promote common development for all human beings” (UNFCCC document, 2015: 2). Furthermore, as part of China’s process of rapid industrialization, multiple challenges are posed on the country including social and economic development of citizens, environmental challenges and combating climate change. Therefore, China understands that acting on climate change is in China’s domestic needs for sustainable development, which will improve and ensure China’s security (UNFCCC document, 2015: 2). On the international side, very often states are blamed for stalling climate negotiations that have been considered as failures in so far. The U.S for example has been blamed for destroying the Kyoto Protocol, due to China’s exemption from reducing emissions, however this was not the end for the U.S – China