Transcript Chinese perspective on climate change regulation

Chinese perspective on
climate change regulation
BIICL Annual Conference
17 October, 2008, London
Overview
• China’s General Position on Climate
Change
• What China has done, challenges and
solution
• Legal framework
• Conclusion
I. General Position
• Climate change is mainly caused by GHG
emission from fossil fuels by the developed
countries in their industrialization process. They
have inescapable responsibilities.
• They shall lead to reduce GHG after 2012
according to the CBDR principle
• And support the developing countries in
adaptation, funding, technology and capacity
building
• The developing countries are victims.
• Difficult to cope with extreme weather
conditions like draught, flooding, typhoon
• Small Island States facing rising sea level
• International community should
adequately address the needs of poverty
reduction and sustainable development in
developing countries
“Nationally appropriate mitigation actions by
developing country Parties in the
context of sustainable development,
supported and enabled by technology,
financing and capacity-building, in a
measurable, reportable and verifiable
manner”
--Bali Action Plan
What China has done
• Optimize economic structure
Service sector: 30% -> 40%
• Energy efficiency
– Energy consumption per 10,000 yuan: 2.68 ton coal
equivalent (1990) to 1.43 ton (2005), -4.1% per
annum
– From 1980-2006, energy consumption increased
5.6% per annum，while GDP increased by 9.8% per
annum
– From 1990-2004, China CO2 intensity dropped 49.5%
vs. 16.1% of OECD
• Renewable/Alternative energy
– Coal in primary energy consumption
decreased from 72.2% (1980) to 69.4% (2006)
– Other forms of energy from 27.8% to 30.6%
• Renewables and nuclear from 4.0% to 7.2%
• Forestry
– 13.9% (1990) to 18.2% (2005)
e.g., a project in the west regions to restore
farmland to forestry and grassland since 1999
involves 24 mi ha and 124 million farmers
Challenges
• China is still a developing country
– 1.3 billion people in the process of industrialization
(emission fro survival)
– Economic growth tilted to investment and export, with
consumption less than 40% of GDP (“imbedded
emission” 23-40% )
– Service sector at 40%, lower than global average of
60%
– Coal-based energy structure
– Low technological level, backward infrastructure
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75% rivers are polluted
60% cities have air pollution
Snow storm early this year
Drought and flooding
Huge pressure on the eco and socialeconomic systems
Solution: “Scientific Approach of
Development”
• Sustainable Development
• Resource-saving, environmental friendly
society
• Ecological civilization
• New path of industrialization
China’s Climate Change Programme (2007)
By 2010 (11th five-year plan):
• Energy efficiency: 20% (compared w/
2005)
• Renewables: 10%
• Forestry: 20%
Projected reduction in 2010 (in
million tons CO2)
Hydro power
Nuclear
Advanced coal-fired
power
Coal-bed methane
Biomass, wind, solar,
thermal
Ten key energy saving
projects
total
500
50
110
200
90
550
1500
• State Council set up energy saving and
emission reduction leading group, chaired
by Premier
– (1990 State climate change coordination
group)
Legal framework- Laws
Renewable energy law (2005)
• Targets: 2010: 10%, 2020: 15%
• High tariff, purchased by grids, cost-sharing
• Special fund, concessional loans, tax rebates
Progress:
– Renewable energy reached 8.5% in 2007
– Wind energy increased 2.3 times in 2007
– Largest installation of solar water heaters
– Largest producer of PV battery
– 16% of electricity from hydro
– From 2005-2006, investment in clean
technology increased by 147%, reaching $
420 mn
Law on Energy Saving (1997, re 2007): fundamental
policy
– Includes transport, building, public institutions
– Binding targets set by provincial govts, report
annually to the State Council,
– Energy saving evaluation for investments
– elimination of backward technology
– Product labeling
– compulsory targets for building, vehicles
– Economic incentives (tax, loans)
• 2006：1.2%
• 2007：3.3%
• 2008-2010：5.8%
Other laws:
– Recycling economy promotion, construction,
electricity generation, coal, environmental
evaluation, environment protection, clean
production, forestry, etc
Legal framework -Regulations
• Regulation on Energy Saving of Civil
Building (2008)
– Encourage use of solar and thermal
– New flats to show energy consumption
indicator
– Government funding for energy saving in
building sector
• Regulation on energy saving in public
buildings (2008)
• Measures for Operation and Management of Clean
Development Mechanism Projects in China(2005.11.29)·
• Law of the People's Republic of China on Desert
Prevention and Transformation(2003.09.18)·
• Meteorology Law of the People's Republic of
China(2003.09.18)·
• Law of the People's Republic of China on the Coal
Industry(2003.09.18)
• Mineral Resources Law of the People's Republic of
China(2003.09.18)·
• Law on Energy Conservation of the People's Republic of
China(2003.09.02)·
• Cleaner Production Promotion Law(2003.02.10)
• China's Scientific & Technological Actions on Climate
Change (Full text)(2007.06.30)
• The Renewable Energy Law (2005.11.09)
• Forest Law (2004.03.09)·
• The 10th Five-Year Plan for Energy Conservation and
Resources Comprehensive Utilization(2003.11.05)·
• The 10th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the
Environmental Protection Industry(2003.11.05)
• Land Administration (2003.09.18)·
• Grassland Law (2003.09.18)·
• Flood Control Law (2003.09.18)·
• Law on Science and Technology Progress(2003.09.18)·
• Law on the Popularization of Agricultural
Technology(2003.09.18)·
• Law on Promoting the Transformation of Scientific and
Technological Achievement(2003.09.18)·
• Law on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric
Pollution(2003.09.18)·
• Environmental Protection Law (2003.09.18)·
• Electric Power Law (2003.09.18)·
• Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental
Pollution by Solid Waste(2003.09.18)
Conclusion
• China is ready to promote int’l cooperation
in climate change
• Contribute to climate change according to
its capabilities, in light of the principle set
by UNFCCC
• Learn from other countries in climate
policy and legal framework
Thank you!
[email protected]