Block’s Indicator of Sustainable Growth

by Ray Block 

Is it possible that China has up its sleeve for presenting possibly at the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen (December 7-18 2009) its own carbon abatement scheme?

 

Reuters (May 1 2009) quoted the National Business Daily that “Su Ming, deputy director of an institute under China’s ministry of Finance said the research on a carbon tax had been requested by that ministry and the ministry of Environment Protection and the proposal may be published within a month.”

 

“Su told the paper the proposal was part of a package of possible taxes on environmental damage under study. The others are taxes on sulphur dioxide and ammonia pollutants, as well as on waste water. At a time when calls for the globe to control emissions of carbon dioxide are growing louder…promotion of environmental taxes is much needed,” Su said.”

 

The Reuters report suggested that the “carbon tax proposal, however, appears a long way from the prospect of implementation.”

 

Keith Johnson, who writes the Environmental Capital blog for the Wall Street Journal (May 1 2009) was at least in two minds about what Beijing was up to. Perhaps, it was just the Chinese polishing their image for the Copenhagen meetings, which will set the scene for the post Kyoto Protocol after 2012.

 

“Or perhaps, the environmental balance of power between the old and the new guard in Beijing- as profiled by Linda Jakobson for Chatham House- is more equal than many observers think.”

 

Johnson gave a link to the Jakobson article. Chatham House (London) had commissioned Jakobson, a senior researcher for Stockholm international peace research institute, who is based in Beijing to write on China and climate change negotiations. Some points from her article:

 

Chinese leaders are “adamant that combating climate change must not deter economic development, while they (also) want to bring to the post-2012 climate negotiations sufficient evidence to prove that China is indeed intent on curbing its greenhouse gas emissions.”

 

“The foremost goal of the leadership is to ensure rising living standards, regarded as essential for social stability, and to keep the Communist Party in power. Simultaneously, they strive to portray themselves as a government willing to shoulder international responsibilities in line with the status of a rising major power.”

“China acknowledges the severity of climate change (and its role in a drastic increase in emissions) to the economy and well being of the population.”

 

“However, the government’s unswerving stance in its climate change commitments is that ‘China is a victim of climate change, rather than a country to be held responsible for it. In Beijing’s view, uncontrolled emissions by developed countries have caused global warming, and therefore, it is the primary responsibility of developed countries to cut them.”

 

“The government is implementing a wide range of energy and industrial policies it expects will contribute to slowing the growth of greenhouse gases. Beijing wants to decrease the country’s reliance on imported oil to improve its energy security. Curbing energy consumption and increasing the use of renewable energy will also help to reduce the country’s severe air pollution and pollution-induced health problems.”

 

“But regardless of the rationale behind the energy efficiency and clean energy policies, China has adopted a serious climate change agenda. Because Beijing is acutely aware of the pressure it will face to agree to emissions reduction in Copenhagen, these policies are being touted by officials as proof of a substantial commitment to combating climate change.”

 

“China sees the principle of ‘common but differentiated goals’ as a key to the post-2012 regime. Beijing can be expected to nimbly play the role of a developing nation and garner the support of other poorer states to strengthen the common stance of developing countries against the developed, as it has in many other international forums. China has also closed ranks with Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa to prepare for a face-off with industrialised nations in Copenhagen.”

 

“There are two schools of thought among Chinese involved with climate change policies, on whether China will ultimately accept a national target to reduce emissions. One group presumes that if the United States accepts a stringent and binding emissions target, China will not (remain) the only major emitter to stand alone. Under strong international pressure, it will accept a voluntary national emissions reduction target.”

 

“According to this view, China has previously made compromises on seemingly staunch positions when facing international isolation, and will ultimately avoid the reputation of obstructing a global pact.”

 

“The second group does not believe China will agree to national emissions targets. The Party’s legitimacy is dependent on the government’s ability to ensure uninterrupted economic growth, and China simply cannot afford to implement the policies required to meet national targets. In the present economic situation, this stance is becoming predominant.”

 

“There is also an increasingly mainstream view that the aim of the west, and the US in particular, is to prevent China becoming a strong power.” 

 

“China has proposed that each developed country should contribute one per cent of its gross domestic product to help developing countries combat climate change. The percentage should not be taken at face length.”

 

“Even Su Wei, deputy head of the Chinese climate change delegation has said that ‘ half a per cent, three-quarters of a per cent, one per cent, this is all open to negotiation. The point is that China wants to see a financial commitment from developed countries to contribute to efforts made by developing countries to deal with cllimate change challenges.”

 

 

Posted under Carbon Abatement Scheme, Climate Change, Global Warming, Low Carbon Economy, Renewable Energies