Author: Jiahua Pan, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing

Although many external observers remain sceptical, China has in fact made substantial and successful efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Still, to ensure concerted, forward-moving action there is a need to understand the dilemma from a Chinese perspective. And what must be recognised is the need for low-carbon transformation to be adapted to suit China’s development and its status as a developing country.

To begin, it is important to realise why Beijing chose not to accept a 50 per cent emission reduction by 2050 at Copenhagen in December 2009. Read more…

Author: Pan Jiahua

During my recent trip to Australia, I encountered two illusions about climate change that need to be dispelled. The first is that an ambitious outcome from the COP15 in Copenhagen this December depends largely on agreement between the US and China (the so-called G2).The idea is that the EU will agree to whatever is the most ambitious outcome China and the US can agree to, and the rest of the world simply doesn’t count. No matter how much effort a country such as Australia makes, for example, with only 2 per cent of global emissions, the impact on global mitigation will be insignificant.

I disagree. This is not correct, and the reason for this is simple.

The second illusion relates to the effort China has made and is making in responding to climate change. I’ll attempt to dispel this illusion shortly, but first I’ll explain why countries outside of the so-called G2 count.
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