Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
development and low carbon emissions requires the introduction of new initiatives
in industrial structure, factor inputs, energy structure, technological innovation and
institutional mechanisms. For developing countries, it is both a new topic and
daunting challenge in the twenty-first century regarding the manner in which to
achieve industrialization and urbanization, how to integrate into globalization,
alleviate poverty and provide a suitable lifestyle for its citizens.
8.2.3 For China, Addressing Climate Change Means Both
Challenge and Opportunity
Huge potential demand for energy, static levels of carbon dioxide emissions
and carbon-dominated resource endowments are among the challenges that
China faces as it struggles to achieve low-carbon development. Considering the
path taken by Western countries and China's relatively developed regions, there
exists a rigid relationship between economic development and energy demand.
When social and economic levels develop to a certain extent and per capita living
standards and quality reach a high level, per capita energy consumption will exceed
4 t of oil equivalent and per capita carbon dioxide emissions will exceed 9 t [
5
].
Even after achieving long-term economic stability and reaching a developed stage,
per capita carbon dioxide emissions of developed economies, such as the EU and the
U.S. have experienced a rapid increase. After complete industrialization, cumulative
carbon dioxide emissions per capita will normally exceed 200 t (see Fig.
8.1
). China
has drafted a “Three-Step Development Strategy”, i.e. China will gradually complete
industrialization and urbanization in the next two or three decades, which means the
living standards and service levels of more than a billion Chinese people will attain
the level of moderately developed countries, inevitably doubling corresponding
energy consumption and carbon emissions based on current levels. China's current
extensive economic growth mode, with coal-based resource endowments and other
national conditions translate into a huge challenge for China to control its greenhouse
gas emissions [
6
,
7
].
Economic globalization and enhancement of overall national strengths
enable China to enjoy a “latecomer's advantage” by effectively utilizing global
resources, technology, financial and management experience, thereby creating
a low-carbon development path. Empirical studies have shown that in the process
of economic development, developed Western countries have undergone a phase of
rapid growth of material consumption followed by a decline stage, the so-called
“hometown-building solutions” [
8
], exhibited in an inverted-U curve in material
consumption per unit GDP and energy consumption per unit GDP. On the other
hand, technological progress will result in a lower peak value of energy consump-
tion per unit GDP for industrial late-comers like China, which means a lower peak
level of carbon intensity per unit of GDP. The aforementioned situation shows that
in the process of economic globalization, China can use its late-comer advantages
to accelerate low-carbon development to an unprecedented degree if it seizes
opportunities, strengthens international cooperation, enhances its technological
