China plays a significant role in bridging the climate gap between the North and the South through its ambitious commitments to achieving carbon neutrality, expanding renewable energy, supporting international cooperation, and adopting integrated policies that combine economic development and environmental protection. It has taken concrete steps in this regard, such as pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase reliance on clean energy, modernize industrial technologies, and reduce air pollution.
– China’s Role in Bridging the Climate Gap
1) Ambitious Climate Commitments:
China has pledged to achieve peak carbon emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. These commitments have been updated to include a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7% to 10% from peak levels by 2035 to mitigate rising emissions.
2) Investment in Renewable Energy:
China’s renewable energy sector has grown rapidly, with installed renewable energy capacity reaching 1,840 gigawatts by the end of 2024. Solar and wind power account for 55% of China’s total electricity generation.
3) Integrated Policies:
China seeks to integrate climate goals with air pollution control objectives. This approach is supported by cooperation with international initiatives such as the Clean Air Coalition, as well as by reducing methane emissions from sectors such as the oil and gas industry.
4) International Cooperation:
China has played a pivotal role in international climate negotiations, particularly through its joint declarations with the United States and the European Union ahead of the Paris Climate Conference, which facilitated international agreements.
5) Industrial Modernization:
China has taken steps to adjust its industrial structure, improve energy efficiency, and control non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions. It has also taken measures to enhance the carbon sequestration capacity of ecosystems.
6) Rural Development Initiatives:
Chinese rural development policies aim to promote sustainable development and reduce the gap between rural and urban areas. These policies have contributed to improved air quality and reduced gaps in areas such as education and healthcare.
7) Economic Contributions:
New industries, such as electric vehicles, batteries, and solar energy, have contributed to China’s economic growth, with their added value reaching $1 trillion. China has become a leader in the global electric vehicle market, producing and selling 70% of all electric vehicles sold globally.
In terms of reducing the gap in climate governance between the Global North and the Global South, China is urging the developed countries that they should better fulfill their emission reduction obligations and provide forms of support to developing countries. So, China has adopted some concrete actions on green and low-carbon development that have been taken, while the USA and many other European countries remain as empty promises regarding the maintenance for the zero emissions.
– Chinese mechanisms for narrowing the climate gap between the Global North and the Global South:
1) Taking Historical Responsibility:
China urged that countries in the Global South recognize the historical responsibility of industrialized countries in the Global North for exacerbating the climate crisis and call on them to assume greater responsibility by providing financial and technical assistance to mitigate the effects of climate change and develop their adaptive capacities.
2) Promoting the Global Green Transition:
China urged that the green transition should include investments in renewable energy, the development of sustainable transportation, improved agricultural practices, and the restoration of natural ecosystems to ensure carbon sequestration.
3) Enhancing Technological Cooperation:
China called for Bridging the gap requires deepening cooperation in green technology and industries and ensuring the free circulation of high-quality green products globally, enabling all countries to benefit from green development and promote sustainable prosperity.
2) Providing Support and Financing:
China confirmed that the United Nations and many organizations support the principles of bridging the North-South divide through initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to achieve environmental justice and inclusive development.
– Initiatives from countries in the Global South, led by China, to uphold the principle of global climate governance:
China urged countries in the Global South to also begin to play a leadership role in climate governance. Countries like Brazil are hosting climate summits (such as COP30) and are working to promote cooperation among developing countries to unify their efforts by implementing the following Chinese principles:
1) Common but differentiated responsibility for climate:
China considers that although protecting the planet is a shared responsibility, countries in the Global South bear a far greater burden of this crisis, given their history of low carbon emissions and limited resources.
2) Benefiting from global experiences and solutions on climate:
China confirmed that countries of the South can benefit from each other’s experiences to exchange knowledge and expertise in combating climate change and adapting to its impacts.
3) Ensuring fairness and equity in climate protection efforts:
China considers that the global shift towards sustainability must ensure that the gap between countries does not widen but rather narrows by respecting developing countries’ right to development.
Based on the previous analysis, we understand that China considers that to narrow the climate governance gap between the Global North and the Global South, developed countries in the North must assume their historical responsibility by providing financing and technical support to countries in the Global South to facilitate the transition to a green economy, recognizing the common but differentiated responsibility of all countries in addressing climate change. This gap requires increased international cooperation in renewable energy and green technology and enhanced knowledge and adaptive capacity in countries in the Global South to ensure sustainable development for all.
