Climate Change Policies in China

Abstract

China has enjoyed rapid economic growth since its opening up in 1978, which inevitably brought about environmental challenges. This chapter will first provide a brief overview of the basic facts of China's greenhouse gas emissions. Then, it will examine the development of climate change policy in China, dividing the process into three periods. When considering why climate change policy in China has evolved as it has, four factors are identified: (1) international pressure, (2) pursuing the reputation of a responsible great power, (3) the proposals of the epistemic community on climate change and (4) the need for a transformation of the country's economic development pattern. These four factors help describe the major trade-off that China currently faces between how to be a responsible great power and maintaining the continuous and stable growth of its economy.