Whereas the environmental crisis of climate change has been happening naturally for centuries, there is now growing evidence suggesting that this event is rapidly escalating largely due to human activity (McCarthy et al. 2010). There is an increase in emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) due to fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes. Climate change is the defining issue of this decade owing to the wide ranging consequences of these events. Research has shown that the unpredictable weather patterns are a danger not only to mankind but also to natural ecosystems (McCarthy et al. 2010). The rising sea levels due to melting glaciers are increasingly causing disastrous floods that claim millions of lives annually, besides destroying habitats. In the absence of urgent drastic action by governments and private entities today, adjusting to these impacts will be more challenging and costly in the future.
Issue Analysis
Climate change is among the most prominent topics among environmental policy makers. McCarthy et al. (2010) assert that its scope is global and the potential effects on environmental, social and economic landscapes are extensive. The enormity of these changes has inspired experts worldwide to examine the policy options for decelerating climate change and lessening its risks. Among the countries struggling to address climate change is China. According to Guthrie (2012), this Asian nation is the world’s biggest emitter of GHGs due to globalization. Figure 1 below shows China’s emission of carbon from fossil fuels per dollar of GDP.
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Figure 1: Carbon Intensity
Source: McCarthy et al. (2010).
China’s meteoric economic rise due to globalization has had incredible side-effects with regard to environmental degradation. Global interdependency between countries has grown, especially in the past decade and this trend is likely to continue in the foreseeable future (McCarthy et al. 2010). China’s environmental crisis due to increased industrial activities is raising critical concerns regarding the government’s enthusiasm in urgently addressing the impact of these issues. According to Cheng and Hu (2010) , the Chinese authorities consider global environmental protection laws as a ploy used by wealthier western nations to control the economic growth of rapidly developing economies, thus keeping them in a subjugated position. However, this assessment is flawed as no other country has ever had to manage issues such as poverty reduction on the scale of China owing to climate change. Therefore, certain urgent measures should be taken to reverse or at least slow down the impacts of this phenomenon.
Proposed Solutions
Embracing Renewable Energy
The use of alternative sources of energy that do not inflict a carbon footprint into the atmosphere can aid China’s efforts to combat climate change. While hydro power is costly in terms of generation compared to coal and oil, it serves to protect the environment by a huge margin (Huang & Yan, 2009). If the country is to achieve its carbon neutrality goal, it should consider approaches such as the use of hydropower and solar energy. Although supplying energy needs of the world’s biggest energy consumption economy from non-fossil sources seems an immense endeavor, the benefits of using clean energy are vast. By turning to alternative sources, China will be in the right path towards lessening the impacts of climate change.
Support Global Climate Collaboration
Climate change is a global issue that requires cooperation between states in developing mutual goals and sharing information on the best approaches to mitigate and adapt to the impact of these patterns. For China, the next decade will be vital if the nation is to moderate the risk of even more extreme changes in climatic conditions. Global climate collaboration will allow the country to play an active role in the global stage in climate policy advocacy. Such an effort will complement its national goal of becoming carbon neutral by the year 2060.
Strategic Recommendations
Introduce Renewable Energy Subsidies
To ensure that the country makes a successful transition to renewable energy, the government should offer renewable energy subsidies to wind farms, biofuel manufacturers and solar power entrepreneurs. Specifically, the Chinese government should use incentives such as tax cuts, R&D grants, and favorable credit terms to encourage the production and use of clean energy as an alternative to conventional energy sources.
Cooperate with Foreign Governments in Energy Efficiency Technology Transfer
China should focus on technology transfer in international climate negotiations through multilateral collaborations. Increasing the emphasis on these technologies and the experience that comes from deploying them is critical not only for China but also for the other countries. Through such efforts, China will make a seamless transition from a coal-based economy to clean energy sources that do not emit GHGs. In addition, the country’s increased bilateral aid in this domain can complement and even foster multilateral climate talks that aim to address the impacts of climate change.
Weaknesses and Limitations
Despite the several strengths of the recommendations to address the climate change crisis in China, they have one major limitation. One of the main weaknesses of these proposals is that they have limited flexibility. According to McCarthy et al. (2010), climate policy should be flexible enough for it to be sustainable in today’s environment. Since one of the recommendations is to shift to a low-carbon economy, the policy option does not take into account potential influences that are likely to impact on China’s efforts to tackle climate change. The durability and stability of the selected policy options is, therefore, threatened by variations in the operating environment.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Although indeterminate, climate change impacts are real and require a better understanding to avert unwanted consequences. Appropriately responding to climate change risks obliges policy makers to consider the potential costs and benefits of different decisions (McCarthy et al. 2010). The cost entails the pertinent opportunity costs of climate change mitigation—what the Chinese society must relinquish when pursuing climate policy. Benefits are the gains from lessening the risks associated with global warming and climate change.
Costs
The policy recommendations will have a rippling effect on businesses and the economy. The sectors most severely impacted by the proposed climate change mitigation and adaptation measures include textiles, energy, coal and gas, mining among others. The impact of the suggested policies is also expected to negatively affect international supply chains because of interference in exports from China. Most firms will be compelled to cope with the increasing costs associated with complying with the adoption of clean energy. Consequently, this will potentially lead to loss of jobs as some businesses will shut down. The increased production costs will have a negative bearing on the consumers who will have to spend more on commodities. Furthermore, the policy options will likely reduce GDP growth in the short-term because of disruption in manufacturing across sectors as factories grapple with technological upgrading.
Political parties in China are likely to instigate public apprehension towards the Chinese government owing to these radical policy recommendations. Previously, the authorities have been hesitant in enforcing environmental protection laws because they perceive them to be detrimental to economic growth. The local governments that pursue economic prosperity of their regions often permit polluting industrial activities to occur. Deng and Zhao (2015) suggest that some of the officials directly benefit through bribes from these businesses. With growing public unrest from such dealings, the government will potentially fight back through aggressive measures in an effort to impose its authority on the citizens.
Benefits
Through the implementation of the policy options, China will become a clean energy powerhouse, and consequently erase its poor reputation of being the world’s largest polluter of the environment. By utilizing renewable energy sources such as wind, solar power and biofuels, China will elevate its international profile as an eco-friendly nation that cares for its people and the planet in which they live. According to McCarthy et al. (2010), the introduction of the carbon offsetting concept will be particularly beneficial to China’s capital Beijing, whose air quality has been a subject of debate in the international stage.
The policies will also promote the public health of Chine people. The growing global temperatures and emissions from motor vehicles and industries have shown to have an adverse public health impact on the children and the elderly who are susceptible to respiratory conditions (McCarthy et al. 2010). In 2003, China experienced a prolonged heatwave episode in Shanghai that caused heat-related illnesses for hundreds of civilians (Guthrie, 2012). However, if the recommendations are comprehensively executed, China will prevent some of these health effects that result from extreme weather patterns.
References
Cheng, H., & Hu, Y. (2010). Municipal solid waste (MSW) as a renewable source of energy: Current and future practices in China. Bioresource technology , 101 (11), 3816-3824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.01.040
Deng, X., & Zhao, C. (2015). Identification of water scarcity and providing solutions for adapting to climate changes in the Heihe River Basin of China. Advances in Meteorology , 2015 . https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/279173
Guthrie, D. (2012). China and globalization: The social, economic, and political transformation of Chinese society . Routledge.
Huang, H., & Yan, Z. (2009). Present situation and future prospect of hydropower in China. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews , 13 (6-7). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.03.023
McCarthy, M. P., Best, M. J., & Betts, R. A. (2010). Climate change in cities due to global warming and urban effects. Geophysical research letters , 37 (9). https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL042845.
