Is it fair to treat China as a Christmas tree to hang everybody’s complaints? Putting its own energy saving into perspective

Zhang, ZhongXiang (2008): Is it fair to treat China as a Christmas tree to hang everybody’s complaints? Putting its own energy saving into perspective.

Abstract

China had been the world’s second largest carbon emitter for years. Recent studies show that China had overtaken the U.S. as the world’s largest emitter in 2007. This has put China on the spotlight, just at a time when the world community starts negotiating a post-Kyoto climate regime under the Bali Roadmap. China seems to become such a Christmas tree on which everybody can hang his/her complaints. This paper first discusses whether such a critics is fair by examining China’s own efforts towards energy saving, the widespread use of renewable energy and participation in clean development mechanism. Next, the paper puts carbon reductions of China’s unilateral actions into perspective by examining whether the estimated greenhouse gas emission reduction from meeting the country’s national energy saving goal is achieved from China’s unilateral actions or mainly with support from the clean development mechanism projects. Then the paper discusses how far developing country commitments can go in an immediate post-2012 climate regime, thus pointing out the direction and focus of future international climate negotiations. Finally, emphasizing that China needs to act as a large and responsible developing country and take due responsibilities and to set a good example to the majority of developing countries, the paper articulates what can be expected from China to illustrate that China can be a good partner in combating global climate change.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Energy saving; Renewable energy; Post-Kyoto climate negotiations; Clean development mechanism; China; USA
• Subjects: Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q4 - Energy > Q48 - Government Policy; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q53 - Air Pollution ; Water Pollution ; Noise ; Hazardous Waste ; Solid Waste ; Recycling; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q4 - Energy > Q42 - Alternative Energy Sources; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q54 - Climate ; Natural Disasters and Their Management ; Global Warming; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q58 - Government Policy

References

An, F. and A. Sauer (2004), Comparison of Passenger Vehicle Fuel Economy and GHG Emission Standards around the World, Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Arlington, United States, December, Available at: http://www.pewclimate.org/docUploads/Fuel%20Economy%20and%20GHG%20Standards_010605_110719.pdf.

Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform (BMCDR, 2006), The 11th Five-Year Development Program for Energy Conservation in the Building Sector of Beijing Municipal, September 8, Available at: http://www.beijing.gov.cn/zfzx/ghxx/sywgh/t662751.htm.

Earth Policy Institute (2008), Global Wind Power Capacity Reaches 100,000 Megawatts, Washington DC, March 4, Available at: http://www.earth-policy.org/Indicators/Wind/2008.htm.

EIA (2003), International Energy Outlook 2003, DOE/EIA0484(2003), U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Washington, DC.

EIA (2006), International Energy Outlook 2006, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Washington, DC.

EIA (2007), Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2006, DOE/EIA-0573(2006), U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Washington, DC, November, Available at: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/pdf/0573(2006).pdf.

European Commission (2007a), Communication from the Commission to the European Council and the European Parliament: An Energy Policy for Europe, Brussels, COM(2007) 1 Final, January 10, Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/energy_policy/doc/01_energy_policy_for_europe_en.pdf.

European Commission (2007b), Energy for a Changing World: An Energy Policy for Europe - the Need for Action, Brussels, Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/energy_policy/doc/2007_03_02_energy_leaflet_en.pdf.

Global Wind Energy Council (2009), US and China in Race to the Top of Global Wind Industry, Brussels, February 2, Available at: http://www.gwec.net/index.php?id=30&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=177&tx_ttnews[backPid]=4&cHash=3a1c08c3ac.

IEA (2007a), Energy Use in the New Millennium - Trends in IEA Countries, International Energy Agency (IEA), Paris.

IEA (2007b), World Energy Outlook 2007, International Energy Agency (IEA), Paris.

Lecocq, F. and K. Capoor (2003), State and Trends of the Carbon Market 2003, Prototype Carbon Fund, The World Bank, Washington, DC, December 1. National Bureau of Statistics of China (2007), China Statistical Yearbook 2007, China Statistics Press, Beijing.

National Bureau of Statistic (NBS), National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration (2008), Bulletin on Energy Use per Unit of GDP and other Indicators by Region, Beijing, July 14, Available at: http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/qttjgb/qgqttjgb/t20080714_402491870.htm.

National Bureau of Statistic (NBS), National Development and Reform Commission and Office of The National Energy Leading Group (2007), Bulletin on Energy Use per Unit of GDP and other Indicators by Region, Beijing, July 12, Available at: http://hzs.ndrc.gov.cn/newjn/t20070809_152873.htm.

National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC, 2006), The Top 1000 Enterprises Energy Conservation Action Program, NDRC Environment & Resources [2006] No.571, Beijing, April 7, Available at: http://hzs.ndrc.gov.cn/newzwxx/t20060414_66220.htm.

National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC, 2007a), The 11th Five-Year Blueprint for Energy Development, Beijing, April, Available at: http://www.ccchina.gov.cn/WebSite/CCChina/UpFile/File186.pdf.

National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC, 2007b), National Climate Change Program, Beijing, June 4, Available at: http://www.ccchina.gov.cn/WebSite/CCChina/UpFile/File188.pdf.

National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC, 2008a), The State Council Approved the NDRC’s New Portfolio and the Corresponding Department Establishments and the Number of Staffs, Beijing, August 21, Available at: http://www.ndrc.gov.cn/xwfb/t20080821_231799.htm.

National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC, 2008b), A Circular on Adjusting Prices of Oil Products, NDRC[2008] No. 205, Beijing, June 19, Available at: http://www.ndrc.gov.cn/zcfb/zcfbtz/2008tongzhi/t20080620_219171.htm.

National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and National Bureau of Statistic (NBS) (2007), Bulletin on Energy Use of the Top 1000 Enterprises, Beijing, September 18, Available at: http://www.sdpc.gov.cn/zcfb/zcfbgg/2007gonggao/W020071009598162122784.pdf.

Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP, 2007), China Now No. 1 in CO2 Emissions; USA in Second Position, June 19, Available at: http://www.mnp.nl/en/dossiers/Climatechange/moreinfo/Chinanowno1inCO2emissionsUSAinsecondposition.html.

People Net (2008a), Adjustments for Vehicle Excise Taxes Will Take Place Since September 1, Up for Cars with Large Engines and Down for Small Cars to 1%, August 14, Available at: http://auto.people.com.cn/GB/1049/7663221.html.

People Net (2008b), Prices of Oil Products Go Up, and Drivers Line up in the Night to Fill, October 7, Available at: http://energy.people.com.cn/GB/8135477.html.

Pew Center on Global Climate Change (2008), Summary of the Boxer Substitute Amendment to the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, June 4, Available at: http://www.pewclimate.org/docUploads/L-WFullSummary.pdf.

Point Carbon (2008), Carbon 2008: Post-2012 Is Now, March 11.

Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21, 2008), Renewables 2007 Global Status Report, Paris.

Sina Net (2006), Special Topic on Paying Close Attention to Adjustments in Consumption Tax Policy, Available at: http://finance.sina.com.cn/focus/gzxfstz/index.shtml.

Sina Net (2008), WTO Rules For the First Time China’s Violation of its Trade Provisions, February 14, Available at: http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2008-02-14/165514939341.shtml.

Stern, N. (2007), Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Available at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/sternreview_index.cfm.

Stewart, R.B and J.B. Wiener (2003), Reconstructing Climate Policy: Beyond Kyoto, American Enterprise Press, Washington, DC.

The Economist (2008), China, India and Climate Change: Melting Asia, June 7, pp. 29-32.

The State Council (2008), Work Plan for Energy Saving and Pollution Cutting, Beijing, July 15, Available at: http://www.ccchina.gov.cn/cn/NewsInfo.asp?NewsId=14127.

UNEP Risoe Center (2008), CDM and JI Pipelines by September 1, Denmark, Available at: http://www.cdmpipeline.org/Publications/CDMPipeline.xls.

UNFCCC Secretariat (2007), Report on Analysis of Existing and Potential Investment and Financial Flows Relevant to the Development of an Effective and Appropriate International Response to the Climate Change, Dialogue Working Paper No. 8, Prepared for the Fourth Workshop under the Dialogue on Long-Term Cooperative Action to Address Climate Change by Enhancing Implementation of The Convention, August 27-29, Vienna, Available at: http://unfccc.int/files/cooperation_and_support/financial_mechanism/financial_mechanism_gef/application/pdf/dialogue_working_paper_8.pdf.

Weyant, J.P. (ed., 1999). The Cost of the Kyoto Protocol: A Multi-model Evaluation. Energy Journal, Vol. 20, Special Issue on the Cost of the Kyoto Protocol, pp. 1-398.

Xinhua Net (2005), Beijing Starts State Phase III Standards Today, December 30, Available at: http://news.xinhuanet.com/auto/2005-12/30/content_3987678.htm.

Xinhua Net (2007a), Beijing Reaffirms the Implementation of State Phase IV Vehicle Emission Standards as Planned, June 8, Available at: http://news.xinhuanet.com/auto/2007-06/08/content_6213918.htm.

Xinhua Net (2007b), Delays in the Implementation of State Phase III Vehicle Emission Standards, July 7, Available at: http://auto.sina.com.cn/news/2007-07-07/1015290457.shtml.

Xinhua Net (2007c), China Auto Lies in the Turning Point of Being Environmentally-Friendly, and Energy Saving and Pollution Cutting Are Heavy Responsibility and Long Way to Go, June 9, Available at: http://auto.sina.com.cn/news/2007-06-09/0917282702.shtml.

Zhang, Z.X. (1999), Estimating the Size of the Potential Market for all Three Flexibility Mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol, Prepared for the Asian Development Bank under contract TA-5592-REG, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Economics, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

Zhang, Z.X. (2000a), Can China Afford to Commit itself an Emissions Cap? An Economic and Political Analysis, Energy Economics, Vol. 22, No. 6, pp. 587-614.

Zhang, Z.X. (2000b), Estimating the Size of the Potential Market for the Kyoto Flexibility Mechanisms, Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv - Review of World Economics, Vol. 136, No. 3, pp. 491-521.

Zhang, Z.X. (2001), An Assessment of the EU Proposal for Ceilings on the Use of Kyoto Flexibility Mechanisms, Ecological Economics, Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 53-69.

Zhang, Z.X. (2003), Why Did the Energy Intensity Fall in China’s Industrial Sector in the 1990s?, The Relative Importance of Structural Change and Intensity Change, Energy Economics, Vol. 25, No. 6, pp. 625-638.

Zhang, Z.X. (2004), Meeting the Kyoto Targets: The Importance of Developing Country Participation, Journal of Policy Modeling, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 3-19.

Zhang, Z.X. (2005), Sustainable Energy Development in China: Challenges Ahead to 2020, The Keynote Address at the International Conference on Staying Ahead of the Energy Scenarios, Bangkok, November 11.

Zhang, Z.X. (2006a), Towards an Effective Implementation of Clean Development Mechanism Projects in China, Energy Policy, Vol. 34, pp. 3691-3701.

Zhang, Z.X. (2006b), The World Bank’s Prototype Carbon Fund and China, Journal of Energy and Development, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 157-171.

Zhang, Z.X. (2006c), Cutting Carbon Emissions While Making Money: A Wishful Thinking or A Win-Win Opportunity?, The Keynote Address at the Plenary Session on Making Money from Saving Carbon at the 29th International Association for Energy Economics International Conference, Potsdam, Germany, June 8-10.

Zhang, Z.X. (2007a), China’s Reds Embrace Green, Far Eastern Economic Review, Vol. 170, No. 5, pp. 33-37.

Zhang, Z.X. (2007b), China Is Moving away the Pattern of “Develop first and then Treat the Pollution”, Energy Policy, Vol. 35, No. 7, pp. 3547-3549.

Zhang, Z.X. (2007c), China, the United States and Technology Cooperation on Climate Control, Environmental Science & Policy, Vol. 10, Nos.7&8, pp. 622-628.

Zhang, Z.X. (2007d), Greening China: Can Hu and Wen Turn a Test of their Leadership into a Legacy?, Presented at the Plenary Session on Sustainable Development at the first-ever Harvard College China-India Development and Relations Symposium, New York City, March 30 – April 2.

Zhang, Z.X. (2007e), Why Has China not Embraced a Global Cap-and-Trade Regime?, Climate Policy, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 166-170.

Zhang, Z.X. (2007f), Energy and Environmental Policy in Mainland China, The Keynote Address at the Cross-Straits Conference on Energy Economics and Policy, Organized by the Chinese Association for Energy Economics, Taipei, November 7-8.

Zhang, Z.X. (2008a), Asian Energy and Environmental Policy: Promoting Growth While Preserving the Environment, Energy Policy, Vol. 36, No. 10, pp. 3905-3924.

Zhang, Z.X. (2008b), Multilateral Trade Measures in a Post-2012 Climate Change Regime?: What Can Be Taken from the Montreal Protocol and the WTO?, Available at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1328548.

Zhang, Z.X. (2008c), How Far Can Developing Country Commitments Go in an Immediate Post-2012 Climate Regime?, Energy Policy, forthcoming, Available at: doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2009.01.016.

Zheng, X. and S. You (2007), Heat Reform in Tianjin China, Unpublished Manuscript, School of Environmental Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.