China’s Low Carbon Transformation: Drivers, Challenges, and Paths

Crawford School of Economics and Government – Centre for Climate Economics & Policy (CCEP) Working Paper 6.10

9 Pages Posted: 1 Aug 2011

See all articles by Jiahua Pan

Jiahua Pan

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)

Date Written: October 1, 2010

Abstract

National climate change mitigation actions and objectives could be taken from both active and passive considerations. China has multiple objectives to develop a low carbon economy and to decrease carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP, including mitigation of global climate change, security of energy supply, promotion of sustainable development (environmental protection, poverty alleviation, employment and natural conservation). In this regard, China’s actions are more at the active side than from a pressure outside. However, there are some suspicions in the international society about whether China has the determination and efficiency in mitigation actions. The author demonstrates that China’s low carbon transformation is largely driven from domestic considerations. For China the question is not to make the transformation into a low carbon economy, but how to accelerate the process. In the meantime, low carbon transformation in China has to face many serious challenges. A dilemma exists that a higher carbon may actually help raise necessary resources for promoting low carbon solutions. Understanding and international cooperation are essential for China’s low carbon transformation.

Keywords: low carbon transformation, sustainable development, mitigation of climate change, carbon dilemma, China

JEL Classification: Q54, Q56, O53

Suggested Citation

Pan, Jiahua, China’s Low Carbon Transformation: Drivers, Challenges, and Paths (October 1, 2010). Crawford School of Economics and Government – Centre for Climate Economics & Policy (CCEP) Working Paper 6.10, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1883949 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1883949

Jiahua Pan (Contact Author)

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) ( email )

Beijing, 100732
China

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