China and climate change: Responding to a global challenge
The New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre held a conference in November 2019 in partnership with the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute.
Date and venue
Date: Wednesday, 13 November 2019, 1–5 pm
Venue: Council Chamber, Hunter Building, Kelburn Campus, Wellington
Background
Climate change is an unprecedented challenge for the global community. China is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases with over a quarter of all global emissions coming from that country alone.
Progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in China is therefore crucial for any meaningful global response to climate change. Following decades of rapid economic growth and industrialisation, however, China faces a major environmental catastrophe making arresting China’s growing emissions an enormous task.
There is much debate about how a sustainable low-carbon economy can be achieved in China, but there is also considerable economic and policy experimentation already underway.
The state and private sector are major investors in clean technology. Policymakers are implementing the world’s largest carbon trading scheme and experimenting with green finance, innovative technology and renewable energy.
China is seeking a leading role in global environmental governance and exporting green technology abroad. How successful these efforts are remains to be seen.
Conference summary
This conference provided an assessment of China’s domestic and international approaches to climate change and asked what it means for New Zealand and the region and for global efforts at climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Speakers addressed the following key questions:
- What is China’s climate change policy and approach?
- How is China promoting renewable energy, a low carbon economy, green finance and sustainable agriculture and industry?
- What is the balance of mitigation and adaptation in China’s climate change policy?
- What opportunities do developing nations have for pursuing green growth strategies?
Key speakers
Professor PAN Jiahua, Director-General, Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Science (CASS)
Professor Emeritus John Mathews, Emeritus Professor of Strategic Management, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Macquarie University
Professor David Frame, Professor of Climate Change and Director of the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute (CCRI) at Victoria University of Wellington
Professor Xiang YU, Research fellow, Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
Dr Alex Lo, Senior Lecturer in Climate Change, School of Geography Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington
Professor ZHENG Yan, Research fellow, Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
Chairs
Associate Professor Jason Young, Director, New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre
Dr Rhian Salmon, Senior Lecturer, School of Science in Society, Victoria University of Wellington