Global Climate Change Brainstorm

By staff reporter LI WUZHOU

AROUND 30 Chinese and over- seas experts and scholars gathered in Beijing on June 24 -25 for an international dialogue on tackling global climate change， from the fresh perspective of philosophy， ethics， law， journalism and communication. The China Soong Ching Ling Foundation （CSCLF） initiated the international roundtable， whose theme was harmony， cooperation， development and responsibility under the title “The Theory and Practice of Tackling Global Climate Change. “

Executive Vice President of the CSCLF Qi Mingqiu said in his speech at the conference that the international roundtable constituted a non-official platform for dialogue on an equal footing. Its aim is to encourage Chinese and overseas specialists and scholars to discuss the theory and practice of tackling climate change， and share wisdom on climate governance， and promote social cognition and strengthen public understanding of this alarming phenomenon.

As expected， the conference went well. Scholars enhanced mutual understanding， particularly of Chinas national conditions， through exchanging ideas and creating new strands of insight and thought.

Grave Importance

Zhao Baige， member of the National Committee of Experts on Climate Change， clarified for overseas experts and scholars the Chinese governments views and standpoints. China attaches great importance to climate change and has made green and low carbon circular economy a priority. Through various measures China has made remarkable achievements in adapting to and alleviating climate change.

In 2014， Chinas energy consumption per unit GDP was 29.9 percent lower than the 2005 levels， and its carbon dioxide emissions were 33.8 percent less， so achieving the countrys 12th Fiveyear Plan （2011-2015） energy saving and emissions reduction goals. China is now on the global forefront of energy saving， and use of new energy and renewable energy resources， and has thus made considerable contributions to tackling global climate change.

China is the first developing country to implement a national program on tackling climate change. In 2014， China pledged a 40 to 45 percent reduction of its 2005 levels of carbon emission intensity， or emissions per unit of GDP， by 2020.

Meanwhile， the Chinese government has proactively guided enterprise and public participation in fighting climate change. Related advocacy has enhanced enterprise social responsibility and public participation and also promoted social organizations， communities and families into a major force for tackling this problem. The 4P （Public-PrivatePeople-Partnership） pattern is Chinas most vigorous force in this respect.

Chinas climate change and pollutant discharge problems have a common source – Chinas extensive growth mode and energy structure. Energy conservation and emission reduction are integral to dealing with these issues， and an energy revolution is thus vital， according to academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering Du Xiangwan.

The strategy for tackling climate change requires guiding people along a green， low-carbon road of sustainable development that will profoundly transform the human development pattern.

Legal System

Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards， and tackling climate change is no exception. Limiting the adverse effects of climatic variation and seeking solutions requires collective action from countries， enterprises and individuals， according to professor of commercial law at South Africas Stellenbosch University Philip Sutherland. In his words， “It is natural to turn to the International Environmental Law and Human Rights Law.”At the same time， the integration of domestic law is crucial.

One main reason for Chinas remarkable achievements in tackling climate change is the countrys strengthened institutional improvements， legislation and law enforcement. In November 2013， China raised the proposal of institutional improvement to promote ecological advancement as a channel for deepening reforms.

China， as a responsible major country， should work with the international community to make international laws to cope with global climate change. Meanwhile， it has formed a domestic legal system to prevent and remedy pollution and protect the environment， according to professor Cai Shouqiu， chairman of China Environmental and Natural Resources Law Society. In rationally utilizing and managing natural resources and energy， China has set up a legal system specifically to address climate change.

At present， China has regulative documents covering such issues as lowcarbon product certification， promotion of energy conservation technologies， operation and fund management of projects under the clean development mechanism， and transaction management of voluntary greenhouse gas reduction.

China also drafted policy documents， such as a national program in response to climate change and action plans on controlling greenhouse gas emission in the industrial and forestry sectors. There are also decrees about specific measures including tax incentives， the pilot program of low-carbon communities， carbon capture and utilization， climate change statistics， and a national catalog of technologies to be promoted nationwide. By September 2014， 22 provinces， autonomous regions and municipalities had released their plans in response to climate change.

The number of laws and regulations directly concerning the climate has been ever increasing， including the Environmental Protection Law； Marine Environment Protection Law； Energy Conservation Law； Renewable Energy Law， Forest Law； Grassland Law， Water Law； Land Management Law； Animal Husbandry Law， and the Law on Prevention and Control of Desertification among many others.

Having abided by laws and regulations， China has since 1990 steadily reduced its energy consumption per unit GDP. From 1990 to 2014 the figure for every RMB 10，000 GDP dropped from 5.32 tons of standard coal equivalent（tce） to 0.69 tce. Meanwhile， energy productivity has increased from RMB 1，891.3/tce in 1990 to RMB 14，792.2/ tce in 2014， according to Professor Cao Mingde of China University of Political Science and Law.

The energy intensity gap between China and developed countries is also narrowing. Chinas energy consumption per RMB 10，000 of GDP in 2013 was 443.8 tce per US $ 1 million – 1.8 times the world average level， 2.3 times that of the U.S.， and 3.2 times that of Europe， a marked improvement over 2011， when its consumption was 2.49 times the world average， 3.37 times that of the U.S. and 4.8 times that of Europe.

Laying down the Law on Response to Climate Change has become a consensus among all walks of life， and relevant departments are at work on a draft， according to Professor Chang Jiwen， vice director-general of the Research Institute for Resources and Environment Policies， Development Research Center of the State Council.

Chinese Wisdom

Participating Chinese scholars have sought wisdom from traditional Chinese culture in efforts to tackle climate change.

Professor Zhang Liwen， dean of the Institute of Confucian Studies of Renmin University of China， has raised the“harmony theory of climate.” It refers to various tangible and intangible conflicts and integrations between climate change and politics， economy， culture， ethics， law， science and technology， and belief systems. Guided by this harmonious wisdom， an integral balance， coordination， and harmony will be achieved. Its purpose is peace， development， and winwincooperation， so improving the wellbeing of peoples around the world.

Fairness and justice is the principal value through which to guarantee the interests of a community of common destiny amid climate change. It includes two levels， the realistic level – fairness， justice and reasonableness – and the ideal level – truth， goodness and beauty. Human activities are the culprits of climatic disasters. To go on living on this planet， humankind must constrain itself.

According to professor of ethics at Renmin University of China Yao Xinzhong， climate change and global justice are， on the surface， merely technical and policy problems. Climatic issues can be solved by energy saving and emission reduction， technology promotion， and policies. Through international cooperation and negotiation， emissions and governance between countries could achieve a rough balance. In the meantime， efforts at the technological level are insufficient. The root of the climate change crisis lies in the misplaced values in the relationship between man and nature， namely that of humankinds misapprehension of its role as master of nature.

Linking climate change with moral obligation is the key to solving climatic issues， Yao believes. Doing so requires a new understanding of the relationship between humankind and nature. Yao uses the concept of “heaven and earth” from The Book of Rites to explain humans status and responsibility in relation to nature.

Fairness and Justice

Climate justice is about implementing global climate governance and establishing international climate regimes. In recent years， along with the peoples growing environmental awareness， climate justice has become a fundamental value and moral principle in tackling climate change.

According to advocate-general of the Netherlands Supreme Court Jaap Spier， the absence of a fair competitive context is one reason why certain countries are unenthusiastic about the climate change issue. It is understandable that if one country decides to reduce emission but others do not， many countries and enterprises will feel they have drawn the short straw. Once relevant duties can be fully understood， a level playing field can be achieved organically， at least on paper.

China and the international community regard the environment as constituting the third generation of human rights， after citizens political rights and their economic， social and cultural rights， according to Liu Hainian， honorary member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. This is not only a devel- opment of international human rights theory， but also implies that the international community values environmental rights because they directly relate to human survival and development.

China regards the rights to exist and develop as primary. As an important facet of human rights， environmental rights have both universality and particularity. When advocating the energy conservation and emission reduction index， it is fair and reasonable to affirm the universal demand and consider the practical situations of various countries. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities is feasible.

With regard to climate justice， a simple factor should be taken into consideration. Challenging climate change must observe the equity principle that can be understood and accepted by ordinary people， according to Thomas Pogge， director of the Global Justice Program and the Leitner Professor of Philosophy and International Affairs at Yale University.

Brainstormers

Although participating scholars from various countries and regions have different backgrounds， life experience and viewpoints， they nevertheless present constructive proposals on climate change – a global pressing issue， according to Tang Wensheng， vice president of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation，

Many participants agree on the necessity to invite personages in the fields of law and philosophy to participate in climate change negotiation and so expand negotiators perspectives.

It is inadvisable to carve up global climate benefits or misunderstand the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities when dealing with global climate change， Professor Peng Yongjie at Renmin University of China said. A body something like the World Health Organization should be established to offer guidance and assistance to encourage countries of the world to jointly tackle climate change.

Western countries have many mature green technology patents， but many developing countries that cannot afford such expensive technologies have no alternative but to use high energyconsuming low efficiency production lines. Professor Pogge hence suggested promoting green technology by lowering patent transfer fees or increasing government procurements.

Liu Hainian believes that intellectual properties deserve protection to encourage technological innovation and social development. However， in the light of crucial problems like climate change， reforms to such protection are necessary.