3 32 China , theEUandLatinAmerica:CurrentIssuesandFutureCooperation themthaneverbefore. Asthescarcityoftraditionalenergyandclimatechangeemergedasserious problems , economicgrowthpatternsinvariouscountriesgraduallyevolvedina directionthatsuitednewenergysources.TheEUandtheUnitedStates , as globalsuperpowers , aspiretocornerfutureenergymarketsthroughnegotiations onreducingcarbonemissions , coupledwithadesiretodominatethedrivetoward cleanenergyandenergyefficiencyandinnovationbybuildingaclimatechange regime.However , manydevelopingcountries , includingChina , whicharestill attheindustrialisationstage , arestillpursuingtheWesterncountrieseconomic model — whichis growthoriented , unsustainableandresourceconstrained — datingfromthelateeighteenthcentury.Chinahasanurgentneedtopromote developmentwhilejoiningintheglobalstruggleagainstglobalwarmingand contributingto globalenergy security.Sincethe1990s , China has paid increasingattentiontoenvironmentalprotectionandthegrowinghazardsposed byclimatechange.Infact , inits2008 whitepaperonclimatechange , the Chinesegovernmentacknowledgedthat “ Chinaisoneofthecountriesmost susceptibletotheadverseeffectsofclimatechange , mainlyinthefieldsof agriculture , livestockbreeding , forestry , naturalecosystems , waterresources andcoastalzones ”( BBC MonitoringAsiaPacificPolitical2008 ) .Asoneofthe worldsleadingeconomicpowers , Chinaiscentraltoregionalandglobalefforts tofightglobalwarmingandclimatechange.Anysuccessfulinternationaleffort tomitigatethreatstohumanandnationalsecurityposedbyclimatechangemust inevitablyincludeChina ( Harris2004 ; Elliott2002 ) .Chinaspopulationhasnow reached1.3billion , anditseconomyisoneoftheworldslargestandfastest growing.Consequently , Chinaisexperiencing widespreadand often acute environmentalchallengeswithseverelocal , nationalandregionalconsequences ( Smil1993 ; Japan EnvironmentalCouncil2000 ; World Bank1997 ) .Ithas producedvastamountsofgreenhousegases , especiallycarbondioxidefromthe burningoffossilfuels ( coal , oilandnaturalgas ) .Duetoitshigheconomic developmentandlowenergyefficiency , Chinaintheearly1990sbecamethe secondlargestnationalsourceofgreenhousegasesanditwillbecomethelargest sourceby2020 ( UNFCCC 2003 ; Chinas Officeof NationalCoordination CommitteeforClimateChange2003 ) .ConcerningChinashighcarbonenergy mix , itisnowtheprincipalemitterofgreenhousegasesandshouldbearglobal responsibilityforaddressingtheproblemofclimatechangeandenergysecurity. Chinaspracticewithregardtoclimatechangeandenergymustsafeguardand coordinatebalanced developmentbetween energyconsumption , theearths climateandeconomicgrowth.
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China, the EU and Latin America : current issues and future cooperation
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