Comments on: The “how much” and “how to” of China’s goal to reduce carbon intensity http://greenleapforward.com/2009/11/19/the-how-much-and-how-to-of-chinas-goal-to-reduce-carbon-intensity/ Tracking the emerging technological, commercial, political and social revolution that is greening China's red-hot economy. Thu, 17 May 2012 09:37:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: The Green Leap Forward 绿跃进 » China to adopt “binding” goal to reduce CO2 emissions per unit GDP by 40 to 45% of 2005 levels by 2020 http://greenleapforward.com/2009/11/19/the-how-much-and-how-to-of-chinas-goal-to-reduce-carbon-intensity/#comment-28261 The Green Leap Forward 绿跃进 » China to adopt “binding” goal to reduce CO2 emissions per unit GDP by 40 to 45% of 2005 levels by 2020 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:56:30 +0000 http://greenleapforward.com/?p=218#comment-28261 [...] The target also falls short of the recommendations by the China Council of International Cooperation on Environment and Development, or CCICED, of 4 to 5 percent per year (see previous post “The “how much” and “how to” of China’s goal to reduce carbon intensity“). [...] [...] The target also falls short of the recommendations by the China Council of International Cooperation on Environment and Development, or CCICED, of 4 to 5 percent per year (see previous post “The “how much” and “how to” of China’s goal to reduce carbon intensity“). [...]

]]> By: Paul Joy http://greenleapforward.com/2009/11/19/the-how-much-and-how-to-of-chinas-goal-to-reduce-carbon-intensity/#comment-27595 Paul Joy Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:57:21 +0000 http://greenleapforward.com/?p=218#comment-27595 I very much agree with Julian's main points concerning the necessity of China to begin putting a price on its carbon emissions by 2020, especially given how vulnerable China is to increasing concentrations of GHG, etc. However, it is also important for international policy-makers to understand how differences of opinion within the Chinese government (MoF, MoEP, NDRC, MoC, and of course big state-owned companies) could ultimately undermine the ability of the government to carry out any agreed-to policy in 3-5 years time. Government unity has been one key strengths that has helped the CCP stay in power. Non-coordinated policies, which we take for granted in the US with both Democrats and Republicans vying for political points, make carrying out difficult policies extremely difficult. Just imagine how this policy would sound to a local official dependent upon profits from a heavy industry within his or her district in Shaanxi Province? They would not enforce it, unless the scales were tipped to make it in his or her interest. The bottom line is that emissions reporting, verifying, and certification, followed by tax collection, is not going to be easy, especially in China, where rule by law is still only developing. To quote Elizabeth Economy from last August, "Whether we’re talking about food and product safety, or environmental implementation of anything China might agree to when it comes to global climate change, or trade and investment barriers and intellectual property rights protection, all of them hinge on China having an effective rule of law. Without that, the relationship will continue to founder, because even though we have high-level agreement that we want to work on these issues, if China can’t ensure that it will live up to its obligations, then we’re going to continue to have serious conflict." In order to step up the rule of law, not only must the United States and other countries continue to engage China, but it would be to our advantage to expand our diplomatic missions within China as to be able to engage and talk to local officials as well as fight for the rights of American companies looking to do business there. This is something endorsed by the authors of China's Rise (published by Peterson), and also something the President and Ambassador Huntsman should pay attention to. I very much agree with Julian’s main points concerning the necessity of China to begin putting a price on its carbon emissions by 2020, especially given how vulnerable China is to increasing concentrations of GHG, etc. However, it is also important for international policy-makers to understand how differences of opinion within the Chinese government (MoF, MoEP, NDRC, MoC, and of course big state-owned companies) could ultimately undermine the ability of the government to carry out any agreed-to policy in 3-5 years time. Government unity has been one key strengths that has helped the CCP stay in power. Non-coordinated policies, which we take for granted in the US with both Democrats and Republicans vying for political points, make carrying out difficult policies extremely difficult. Just imagine how this policy would sound to a local official dependent upon profits from a heavy industry within his or her district in Shaanxi Province? They would not enforce it, unless the scales were tipped to make it in his or her interest.

The bottom line is that emissions reporting, verifying, and certification, followed by tax collection, is not going to be easy, especially in China, where rule by law is still only developing. To quote Elizabeth Economy from last August, “Whether we’re talking about food and product safety, or environmental implementation of anything China might agree to when it comes to global climate change, or trade and investment barriers and intellectual property rights protection, all of them hinge on China having an effective rule of law. Without that, the relationship will continue to founder, because even though we have high-level agreement that we want to work on these issues, if China can’t ensure that it will live up to its obligations, then we’re going to continue to have serious conflict.”

In order to step up the rule of law, not only must the United States and other countries continue to engage China, but it would be to our advantage to expand our diplomatic missions within China as to be able to engage and talk to local officials as well as fight for the rights of American companies looking to do business there. This is something endorsed by the authors of China’s Rise (published by Peterson), and also something the President and Ambassador Huntsman should pay attention to.

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