scholarly journals The Impacts and Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Global Response to Climate Change

2021 ◽  
pp. 2150007
Author(s):  
Ying CHEN ◽  
Weiping SHEN
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Climate Governance ◽  
Governance Process ◽  
Low Carbon Development ◽  
Climate Crisis

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has posed the most severe impact on the global economy and society since World War II. The pandemic has brought into focus how climate change is related with virus transmission and health, and has made the global transition toward low-carbon development more difficult and challenged the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Although the pandemic has significantly reduced carbon emissions and improved the environmental quality in the short term, it is still an unwanted event in the process of pursuing sustainable development; although objectively the pandemic has weakened countries’ efforts in terms of policies and actions to address climate change, the restructuring of global value chains in the post-COVID era has also brought new opportunities for a transition toward green and low-carbon development; although the pandemic has warned people of how important resilient governance and international cooperation is to addressing the crisis, the global climate governance process has come to a complete standstill since the outbreak of COVID-19, attenuating the mutual trust among countries and disabling the leadership in climate governance. The pandemic is a preview of the climate crisis, and it is important to learn from it for a better response. China quickly contained the pandemic within the country, actively resumed work and production, and gained a first-mover advantage in economic recovery. China should maintain strategic focus when pursuing ecological development, enhance the resilience of the socio-economic system, seize the opportunity of transitioning toward low-carbon development by turning the crisis into opportunities, and promote high-quality development within the country while fully engaging in global climate governance to seek ecological progress with other countries.

scholarly journals China’s Contribution and the Chinese Approach to Tackling Global Climate Change

2021 ◽  
pp. 2150018
Author(s):  
Ying CHEN ◽  
Mou WANG
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Energy Structure ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Climate Governance ◽  
Structure Adjustment ◽  
Governance Process ◽  
International Climate ◽  
Positive Results

China is one of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and has been actively promoting the multilateral global climate governance process. China has advanced its eco-civilization construction and the agenda for combating climate change in a coordinated manner, and delivered positive results. By studying and interpreting the guiding principles of President Xi Jinping’s important speeches at the Leaders Summit on Climate and the video summit between China, France and Germany, this paper goes over the basic thinking of China’s participation in international climate governance and the Chinese approach to tackling global climate change, and sums up China’s achievements in the fields such as transition to green and low-carbon development, energy structure adjustment, greenhouse gases control, the construction of national carbon market, as well as its contribution to tackling global climate change.

What we can learn from the parallels between the COVID-19 and the future climate change crises

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubén D. Manzanedo ◽  
Peter Manning
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Substantial Portion ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
The Future ◽  
Behavioral Norm ◽  
Climate Crisis ◽  
Global Population

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak pandemic is now a global crisis. It has caused 1.6+ million confirmed cases and 100 000+ deaths at the time of writing and triggered unprecedented preventative measures that have put a substantial portion of the global population under confinement, imposed isolation, and established ‘social distancing’ as a new global behavioral norm. The COVID-19 crisis has affected all aspects of everyday life and work, while also threatening the health of the global economy. This crisis offers also an unprecedented view of what the global climate crisis may look like. In fact, some of the parallels between the COVID-19 crisis and what we expect from the looming global climate emergency are remarkable. Reflecting upon the most challenging aspects of today’s crisis and how they compare with those expected from the climate change emergency may help us better prepare for the future.

Promoting Green and Low-Carbon Development to Address Challenges of Climate Change

2017 ◽  
Vol 05 (02) ◽  
pp. 1750008
Author(s):  
Zhenhua XIE
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Address Climate Change ◽  
Development Path ◽  
International Obligation ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Low Carbon Development ◽  
Major Progress

A general consensus has been developed to proactively address climate change and promote green and low-carbon development in the international community. China, as a responsible major developing country, takes green and low-carbon development not only as its due international obligation to tackle global climate change, but also a priority in the implementation of the “Five Key Concepts for Development” ( http://keywords.china.org.cn/2016-03/01/content_37907679.htm ) and the realization of the “Two Centenary Goals” ( http://www.china.org.cn/china/china_key_words/2014-11/18/content_34158771.htm ). In this paper, the author reviews the major progress in tackling climate change worldwide in recent years, explores the nature of climate change based on the experiences of developed countries and China’s choice of development path, and analyzes China’s achievements and future development potential in green and low-carbon development.

scholarly journals Chinese energy policy progress and challenges in the transition to low carbon development, 2006-2013

2014 ◽  
Vol 57 (spe) ◽  
pp. 174-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Basso ◽  
Eduardo Viola
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Policy ◽  
Energy Policy ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Global Energy ◽  
Climate Governance ◽  
The World ◽  
Low Carbon Development ◽  
Life On Earth

If the world is not to jeopardize the chances for human life on Earth, climate change must be mitigated; therefore, achieving low carbon development is crucial. China is the world's greatest GHG emitter, energy producer and energy consumer; investigating its energy-climate policy developments and international positions are of utmost importance to understand and tackle current stumbling blocks of the global energy and climate governance.

Road to Paris: The Changed and Unchanged in International Responsibility System

2016 ◽  
Vol 04 (01) ◽  
pp. 1650006
Author(s):  
Jiahua PAN ◽  
Mou WANG ◽  
Yongxiang ZHANG ◽  
Zhe LIU ◽  
Xiaodan WU
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Emission Reduction ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
International Responsibility ◽  
Responsibility System

Since the conclusion of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992, a number of adjustments have been made in the patterns of international economy, trade, emissions, etc. Developing countries have increased rapidly in their share in global economy, trade as well as emissions, which led to some Parties to the Convention, mainly developed country Parties, faltering on their recognition of the responsibility system of the global response to climate change, and requiring developing countries to undertake responsibility for emission reduction and even financial assistance, intending to transfer obligations and costs in coping with climate change to developing countries. In fact, although the share of developing countries has increased in global economy, trade and emissions, the basic pattern that developed countries account for the absolute majority in cumulative CO2 emissions and control the international financial, trading, technology, and standard systems has not changed. The international responsibility system to deal with climate change has not changed fundamentally, either. Developed countries should continue to lead the global climate initiative, and provide financial and technical assistance to developing countries; developing countries should also take the path of low-carbon development while actively making full use of support from the international community in poverty alleviation and development process. At the Paris Climate Change Conference, Parties should participate in the negotiations with a constructive attitude, actively make planning and implement emission reduction actions, as well as build a fair and efficient financial mechanism, to promote climate-friendly technologies worldwide, establish an open and cooperative international trading system, and jointly facilitate the international cooperation on tackling climate change as a new momentum for global economic growth, so as to protect global climate security.

scholarly journals Research on Assessment Index System for Low-carbon Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 275 ◽  
pp. 02008
Author(s):  
Chengzhi Niu ◽  
Yougan Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Indicator System ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Analytic Hierarchy ◽  
Assessment Index ◽  
Development Indicators ◽  
Development Indicator ◽  
Low Carbon Development

Due to the severe situation of global climate change and depletion of energy resources, low-carbon development has become an inevitable choice for global climate change and maintaining sustainable economic and social development. In order to promote low-carbon development, we should scientifically evaluate the low-carbon development status of a country, economy or region. At present, the research on low-carbon evaluation indicators is still in the exploratory stage. There are not many low-carbon indicators that are really used in practice, and there is currently no recognized and authoritative low-carbon evaluation indicator system. Based on this, this article attempts to use the analytic hierarchy process to further study the low-carbon development indicator system, to establish a scientific and objective system of low-carbon development indicators, and use such an indicator system to guide and promote low-carbon development.

scholarly journals The Climate Crisis as a Product of Globalization

2021 ◽  
Vol 92 ◽  
pp. 06029
Author(s):  
Magdalena Raftowicz
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Climate Crisis ◽  
The Impact

Research background: the processes of globalization have led to an increasing interdependence and integration of states, societies, economies, and cultures, which result in the emergence of one world that produces the same products. However, little do people realize that global products have also a negative influence on the global economy. A clear example is the climate crisis, which can be treated as a product of globalization. Purpose of the article: therefore, the main aim of the paper is an attempt to answer the question: what is the impact of unlimited globalization processes on the climate crisis. The main hypothesis of the research is that the adoption of a degrowth model can effectively stop the negative effects of the climate crisis, which may lead to a global economic recession in the future. However, this will require inter-state simultaneous cooperation, because no single country can solve the climate problem separately. Methods: to confirm such a hypothesis, and to formulate the main findings, the method of critical analysis of the literature on climate and economic matters was used. Findings & Value added: the main added value of the paper is the synthetic forecast of the economic effects caused by global climate change. It may enrich the discussion about the effects of climate change through dissemination and acceptance of scientific knowledge. The negation of this knowledge, still frequently observed in public debates, may delay the implementation of urgent and necessary solutions.

scholarly journals The Paris Agreement and Global Climate Governance: China’s Role and Contribution

2016 ◽  
Vol 02 (03) ◽  
pp. 365-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gao Xiaosheng
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Periodic Review ◽  
Climate Governance ◽  
Multilateral Negotiation

The United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Paris in late 2015 is regarded as a milestone in the progress of global climate governance. Adopting the approach of “Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) plus Periodic Review”, the Paris Climate Agreement reached at the conference has rejuvenated the multilateral negotiation process and established a hybrid governance structure as the basic framework of the post-2020 climate regime. The Agreement also sends a clear and strong signal regarding the sustainable transformation of the world economy. Through low-carbon economic transformation and international climate diplomacy, China played a leadership role in achieving the Paris Agreement, which ushered in a new era for the international community to combat climate change. The future of global climate governance will depend on the follow-up measures of all contracting parties, and China should continue to show climate leadership in the post-Paris era.

scholarly journals Post COVID-19 Recovery and 2050 Climate Change Targets: Changing the Emphasis from Promotion of Renewables to Mandated Curtailment of Fossil Fuels in the EU Policies

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1347
Author(s):  
Kyriakos Maniatis ◽  
David Chiaramonti ◽  
Eric van den Heuvel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
European Union ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Climate Change Policy ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
The European Union

The present work considers the dramatic changes the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the global economy, with particular emphasis on energy. Focusing on the European Union, the article discusses the opportunities policy makers can implement to reduce the climate impacts and achieve the Paris Agreement 2050 targets. The analysis specifically looks at the fossil fuels industry and the future of the fossil sector post COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis first revises the fossil fuel sector, and then considers the need for a shift of the global climate change policy from promoting the deployment of renewable energy sources to curtailing the use of fossil fuels. This will be a change to the current global approach, from a relative passive one to a strategically dynamic and proactive one. Such a curtailment should be based on actual volumes of fossil fuels used and not on percentages. Finally, conclusions are preliminary applied to the European Union policies for net zero by 2050 based on a two-fold strategy: continuing and reinforcing the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive to 2035, while adopting a new directive for fixed and over time increasing curtailment of fossils as of 2025 until 2050.

scholarly journals Interrogating Climate Adaptation Financing in Zimbabwe: Proposed Direction

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6517
Author(s):  
Innocent Chirisa ◽  
Trynos Gumbo ◽  
Veronica N. Gundu-Jakarasi ◽  
Washington Zhakata ◽  
Thomas Karakadzai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Coastal Zones ◽  
Resource Base

Reducing vulnerability to climate change and enhancing the long-term coping capacities of rural or urban settlements to negative climate change impacts have become urgent issues in developing countries. Developing countries do not have the means to cope with climate hazards and their economies are highly dependent on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, water, and coastal zones. Like most countries in Southern Africa, Zimbabwe suffers from climate-induced disasters. Therefore, this study maps critical aspects required for setting up a strong financial foundation for sustainable climate adaptation in Zimbabwe. It discusses the frameworks required for sustainable climate adaptation finance and suggests the direction for success in leveraging global climate financing towards building a low-carbon and climate-resilient Zimbabwe. The study involved a document review and analysis and stakeholder consultation methodological approach. The findings revealed that Zimbabwe has been significantly dependent on global finance mechanisms to mitigate the effects of climate change as its domestic finance mechanisms have not been fully explored. Results revealed the importance of partnership models between the state, individuals, civil society organisations, and agencies. Local financing institutions such as the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) have been set up. This operates a Climate Finance Facility (GFF), providing a domestic financial resource base. A climate change bill is also under formulation through government efforts. However, numerous barriers limit the adoption of adaptation practices, services, and technologies at the scale required. The absence of finance increases the vulnerability of local settlements (rural or urban) to extreme weather events leading to loss of life and property and compromised adaptive capacity. Therefore, the study recommends an adaptation financing framework aligned to different sectoral policies that can leverage diverse opportunities such as blended climate financing. The framework must foster synergies for improved impact and implementation of climate change adaptation initiatives for the country.

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