By ZHANG XIAOQIANG | China Daily Global |
Updated: 2023-03-14
The international landscape underwent complex and profound
changes in 2022, exerting a far-reaching impact on global climate action.
Globally, affected by such intertwined factors as the long-lasting impacts of
COVID-19, the unabated anti-globalization sentiment, geopolitical tensions, the
Ukraine crisis and surging commodity prices, a number of European nations have
restarted coal-fired power plants to cope with the energy crisis, energy
security has become increasingly important, and the global push for net-zero
emissions has slowed or even experienced setbacks. This is hindering
international cooperation on the "dual carbon" goals, peaking carbon
dioxide emissions and achieving carbon neutrality.To start with, global cooperation on the "dual carbon"
goals is challenged by green trade barriers such as the European Union's carbon
border tax.Over the recent years, Western developed countries, those of the
European Union in particular, have been strengthening their leadership and say
in the field of global climate action with their advantages in emissions
reduction policies, technologies and standards, by setting up green barriers
and levying a carbon border tax.For instance, in June 2022, the European Parliament adopted
amendments on the proposal to establish a carbon border adjustment mechanism.
The Clean Competition Act — a carbon border adjustment mechanism proposal — was
introduced in the United States Senate in June 2022. The United Kingdom put
forward the idea of brokering an alliance between the EU and G7 members for
coordinated action on carbon border taxes.Second, geopolitical conflicts have worsened the global environment
for climate cooperation.The Ukraine conflict has complicated the global environment. It
has dealt a major blow to global commodity supplies and resulted in an energy
price spike across Europe, with spillovers quickly spreading to other nations and
resulting in intensifying inflationary pressure and economic downward pressure
on countries, including China.Third, prolonged China-US competition has added uncertainties to
global cooperation on the "dual carbon" goals.The adjustment in Europe's energy supply system and strategic
planning has created new opportunities for China-Europe clean energy
cooperation, but such cooperation is also faced with challenges from
major-country competition.Domestically, despite growing pressure in coordinating economic
and social development, COVID-19 prevention and control, energy security, and
the low-carbon transformation, China has been pressing ahead to realize the
"dual carbon" goals in a well-ordered manner. Over the past years,
China has made marked progress toward peaking its carbon dioxide emissions
before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060: The share of clean
energy in total energy consumption has been climbing rapidly, the industrial
structure continues to be optimized and upgraded, and energy efficiency has
been improving.Overall, the direction of the global green and low-carbon
transition will not change. According to the BP Energy Outlook 2023, by 2050,
the share of renewables in global primary energy will increase to 65 percent,
the share of electricity in total final energy consumption will increase to
over one-third, and the share of low-carbon hydrogen in primary energy will
increase to over 13 percent.But achieving carbon peaking and neutrality requires the
concerted and collective action of all countries, especially when global
climate action is hindered by factors such as the Ukraine crisis.The US and European sanctions against Russia have dealt a heavy
blow to Europe's energy system. The US is not only cracking down on Russia, but
also selling energy to Europe at a higher price for extra profit, wreaking
havoc on global energy relations.China and the US, the world's two largest economies and major
consumers and producers of energy, have suspended their climate cooperation in
the wake of former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan
region. However, the two sides have a solid foundation for long-term
cooperation on tackling climate change. The Joe Biden administration is taking
steps to reduce emission to combat climate change, and the US Special Envoy on
Climate Change John Kerry has called on the two sides to resume bilateral talks
on climate issues. In the years to come, China and the US are likely to deepen
bilateral climate cooperation.To achieve the aforementioned goals, the key lies in advancing
global cooperation on the "dual carbon "goals on an
economy-by-economy basis.First, China needs to further deepen exchanges and cooperation
with European nations on green and low-carbon technologies.China should make the most of its advantages in the solar and
wind power industry chains and beef up cooperation with European countries on
renewable energy projects. More advanced technologies should be introduced from
Europe to China and the two sides should jointly explore cooperation
opportunities in third-country markets. China should also strengthen
coordination with the EU on the latter's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism,
systematically analyze its functioning mechanisms and impacts, and put forward
China's coping strategies to guarantee its legitimate rights to fair
competition and development.Second, China should continue to strengthen cooperation with the
US on combating climate change.China should seize the opportunity of the US wanting to restart
climate cooperation to lessen its crackdown on China's new energy industries
such as the solar PV industry and seize more initiative in bilateral
cooperation. China should also increase exchanges with the US on the
strengthening of the global climate change governance system and energy
governance system and strive for a more advantageous position.Third, China should promote security through global cooperation
such as energy supply, transport routes construction, and payment and
settlement systems development.China should deepen global resources cooperation, open up new
energy supply channels in order to reduce its dependence on the old ones, and
carry out cooperation in the construction of international energy trade payment
and settlement system.Fourth, China needs to make solid progress in jointly building a
green Belt and Road.China and countries participating in the Belt and Road
Initiative should double down on efforts to share green and low-carbon
technologies and jointly tackle key problems. China should give assistance to
countries in need of coal power plant retrofits and help them enhance their
green electricity generation capabilities. China and relevant countries should
promote green and low-carbon devices and equipment to enter the markets of
countries engaged in jointly building the Belt and Road and further optimize
the mechanisms for green and low-carbon cooperation.Last, China should vigorously participate in reform of the
global climate change governance system.By participating in the rules-making process in such areas as
global carbon counting, carbon pricing and clean energy cooperation, China
should push for the building of a climate change governance system that better
reflects the voice of China and the common interests of the international community.
By ZHANG XIAOQIANG | China Daily Global |
Updated: 2023-03-14The international landscape underwent complex and profound
changes in 2022, exerting a far-reaching