| Author (Person) | Godement, François, Kratz, Agatha |
|---|---|
| Publisher | European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) |
| Series Title | China Analysis |
| Series Details | September 2015 |
| Publication Date | September 2015 |
| Content Type | Report |
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Growing international consensus and increasing domestic pressure on the environment in China offer hope ahead of the end of 2015 crucial climate summit in Paris, according to a report from ECFR issued in September 2015. 'China: Taking stock before the Paris climate conference', is a further title in the China Analysis series, which examines Chinese-language sources to understand the Chinese view on current affairs. This report highlights Chinese commentators who laud the November 2014 climate deal between the U.S. and China (who together account for 40% of the world’s CO2 emissions) as an event 'with historical meaning' and one that encourages 'irresistible progress towards an ecological civilisation'. Other sources highlight the deal as potentially strengthening future US-China interactions in 'a new type of great power relations'. But concern for improved action on climate change and the environment is not limited to the international arena, with increasing Chinese domestic pressure to redress Chinese environmental issues. China’s economy loses $32 billion every year because of environmental degradation, and environmental disasters have caused the deaths of more than 2,000 people every year in the last decade. The report highlights the growing government action to tackle these concerns, with a raft of policy initiatives coming forward in recent months. But the report also highlights some of the limitations to this newfound official enthusiasm. Chinese commentators point to the flaws in systems of government control – above all the limitations of financial sanctions as well as the irresponsibility of local administrations, which are often led by other motivations than justice or environmental preservation. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://ecfr.eu/page/-/CA_1509_Climate.pdf |
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| Subject Categories | Environment |
| Countries / Regions | China, Europe |
