Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
China is the most active major economy in emissions reduction among develop-
ing countries. Concerned with the global environment and domestic sustainable
development, China signed the Kyoto Protocol back in 1998 and ratified it in early
2002 - relatively early among developing countries. Also, China stipulated national
and local plans to address climate change by means of laws, finance and adminis-
tration to supervise the emissions reduction by the local governments and
enterprises. The GDP per unit emissions reduction target, and data collection and
report progress toward achievement by the local governments, is required for
enterprises and governments at every level into completion during the 11th Five
Year Plan period. 6 The GDP per unit emissions reduction is set to be the bound
target for the national economic development and a better census and calculation
mechanism will be established during the 12th Five Year Plan period. 7
Because their commitments to addressing climate change are highly comple-
mentary, China and the EU share broad, high-level cooperation in global climate
change and green development. However, some disputes and frictions have been
unavailable since their respective interests are different.
10.2
Sino-EU Multi Cooperation and Competition in Climate
Change
Multiple levels of cooperation and competition coexist in the global climate change
negotiation under the framework of UNFCCC. The EU defines itself as a leader in
addressing the global climate change since its initiation and facilitation for
UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. While China, as the largest developing country,
defines development as its national strategy. China puts more emphasis on the
Common but Differentiated Principle since the historical factor is a core of climate
change. 8 Therefore, there were differences between the two during the negotiations
of UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. Due to lack of communication and over
optimism, an emissions reduction goal set by the EU leaders and host country was
far beyond the acceptance of major developing countries including China, and thus
rejected by the BRIC coalition at the 2009 Copenhagen Conference. The EU even
expressed its disappointment with China during a break in the conference. 9
6
He Li, China's Mitigation Actions are Rea l”, (Financial Times Chinese website, 2010. 9.16. http://
www.ftchinese.com/story/001034641 ; Wu Jingjing, Zhou Shengxian: China can over Realize
the Emissions Reduction Target during the 11 th Five Year Plan , Xinhua website, Beijing,
2010.12.21 http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-12/21/c_12903831.htm
7
“12th Five Year Plan on China's National Economy and Social Development”, 2011.3.16,
Xinhua Website: http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2011-03/16/c_121193916.htm .
8 State Council Information Office of PRC, “White Paper on China's Policies and Actions on
Climate Change”, 2008.10, Beijing.
9 Francois, Godement, “A Global China Policy” Policy Brief , London: European Council on
Foreign Relations, June 2010; Tobias Rapp, Christian Schw¨gerl and Gerald Traufette,The
Copenhagen Protocol:How China and India Sabotaged the UN Climate Summit,DER SPIEGEL,
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