Transcript The People`s Republic of China

The People’s Republic of
China
Sarah Forsyth
March 2, 2005
ES 338
Physical Aspects
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Divided into 23 provinces,
5 autonomous regions, 4
municipalities
Terrain: mountains,
plateaus, deserts, deltas,
hills, and plains
Climate: ranges from
tropical to sub artic
Area: 9, 596, 960 square
km (4th largest country)
Population:
1,273,111,290
Economy
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Communist State
High rate of growth
GDP per capita: $3,600 (2000)
GDP: 15% agriculture, 50%
industry, 35% services
In contrast the work force is:
50% agriculture, 24% industry,
and 26% services
Industries: coal, iron, steel,
building machines, petroleum,
cement, textiles, fertilizers,
toys, automobiles, electronics
Main Crops: wheat, rice,
potatoes, sorghum
Coal
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Electric Power: 79.8% fossil
fuel, 18.98% hydropower, 1.2%
nuclear power
1976 – 1995 use of coal
increased from 69.9% to 78%
while the amount of energy
used from 1970 t0 1990
increased 208 times
Currently emits second largest
amount of carbon dioxide
Predicted by 2020 to surpass
the U.S. in the amount of CO2
emissions released
Energy Use Inefficiencies
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China
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Boilers: 50-60%
efficient
Coal stoves: 10-15%
efficient
80% of coal is
unwashed (health
problems)
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Developed Countries
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Boilers: 90% efficient
Natural Gas stoves:
80-95% efficient
Groups
 Ministry
of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
 State Environmental Protection Agency
(SEPA)
 State Development Planning Commission
(SDPC)
 Ministry of Science and Technology
 National Climate Change Coordination
Group (NCCCG)
Environmental Awareness
 “Cultural
Revolution” 1966 – 1977
 1972 attended the UN Conference on the
Human Environment in Stockholm
 Pollution became a large problem
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Build up from unregulated industry growth
Air pollution, Water pollution, deforestation,
desertification, soil erosion
Ex: World Bank estimated air pollution
caused 50$ billion per year in 1997
80’s and Early 90’s
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“Open Door” policy (1979-1989); particularly during the 80’s
awareness in the scientific community arose regarding climate
change
1987 PRC Academy of Sciences worked on a study w/ the US
Department of Energy called “Global Climate Change
Countermeasures: A Research Report of the Advisory Group”
(published in 1991)
Policies to create and negotiate climate change policy
1990 recession started – slowed new technology and efforts to use
fuel more efficiently
1992 UNCED conference at Rio de Janeiro
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Framework Convention on Climate Change
China’s concerns:
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Included uncertainties of climate change science
Emphasis on the responsibility of Developed countries
Sovereignty
Technology transfer and funds for developing countries
1995 COP1 at Berlin
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Supported the “Berlin Mandate”
Kyoto Protocol
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Felt that as a developing country should not have any
emission regulations or any other requirements which
might hurt economic growth
Responsibility of developed countries
Concentrated interest on “flexible mechanisms”
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Originally supported JI, but joined other developing countries to
dispute
CDM
• China worried would give Developed countries and advantages
because they could use the cheapest projects before developing
countries needed to cut emissions
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China felt “flexible mechanisms” might allow developed countries
to avoid the protocol’s regulations
Ratified: August 30, 2002
Later Negotiations
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COP5
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COP6
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Higher support of “flexibility mechanisms”
Suggested immediate start of CDM projects
Benefits of “flexibility mechanisms”
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Became slightly more supportive of “flexibility mechanisms”
Against the use of carbon sinks
COP7
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Refusal to commit to emissions regulations
Allows for large technological and monetary gains
Japan funds many JI projects
Availability for CDM projects w/I the country: fuel switch, importing fuel from
Russia, capturing coal-bed methane
GEF (Global Environment Facility)  funds technology transfer, energy
efficiency, projects to reduce GHG emissions
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PRC receives a large portion of the funds
2001 received 17% of the total GEF funds
Driving Forces
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Internal Pollution Problems: especially air and
water (acid rain)
 IPCC indicates that climate change would hurt
the country’s economy: new water problems,
ecosystem damage, forestry and agriculture
damage, increased flooding, coastal settlement
damage
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Appears as a large threat since famines in recent
history
Already drought problems
Policy
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“No Regrets” strategy
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Implement GHG limitations and fuel efficiency only if
another benefit exists
• Economy growth
• Health benefits (respiratory diseases and lung cancer large
problem in urban areas)
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Fuel switch
• Funds allow for building some new nuclear plants and
construction of Three Gorges Dam on Changjiang River
• Very costly particularly in comparison to cheap price of coal
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Support of using natural gas and coal briquettes
domestically to cut down on use of unwashed coal
Investment in more efficient boilers in industry
Pressures Driving Policy
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Three main points directing climate change policy
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Active role will allow the country to develop stronger
relationships with developed countries and strengthen
relationships w/ developing countries.
• Hope that current leadership will lead to future power surrounding
the interests of other developing countries
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Maintaining National Sovereignty
• Ensure that China will not be under enforced CO2 emission
regulations
• Worry that such regulations would hurt the development of their
economy
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Belief that Developed Countries are responsible for the majority
of global warming and should take most of the burden of fixing
the problem