Key global climate governance problems and Chinese countermeasures

Presently, the full implementation of the negotiations and collaborations under the Paris Agreement faces new key problems and severe challenges. These problems and challenges include the following: how to honor the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” to facilitate a comprehensive, balanced, and effective implementation of the key elements of the Paris Agreement, such as adaptation, mitigation, finance, technology, capacity building, and transparency; how to uphold and maintain the status of China and other emerging countries as developing countries in light of the requirements of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the historical responsibilities of these countries; and how to assess the goal of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5°C and what constitutes an equitable carbon mitigation pathway for different types of countries. Developed countries and developing countries have drastically diverging views on carbon border adjustment measures for trade with developing countries proposed by several developed countries such as the European Union. Developed countries have demonstrated obvious intentions and actions designed to weaken and neglect the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”, to impose mitigation pressure on developing countries, to shift the responsibilities for emissions onto others, and to pass on the costs of mitigation. The maneuvering among different types of countries and interest groups has become increasingly intense. In response, China must maintain its strategic focus, adhere to the goals and principles established by the Paris Agreement, stick to its strategic positioning as a developing country, solidify strategic support from the developing world, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. China played a conducive role in facilitating the Paris Agreement and has become an active participant, contributor, and leader in global climate governance. China must continue to follow Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and its conception of ecological civilization and the concept of building a community of common destiny, to actively lead the cooperation process in the construction of a global climate governance system characterized by equity, justice, and win–win collaborations, and to promote compliance with the Paris Agreement. At the same time, China should accelerate the green, low-carbon, circular transformation of its economy; accelerate the coordinated governance of the economy, environment, and climate change; and formulate and implement a long-term low-carbon development strategy. By the middle of the 21st century, while achieving the goal of building a great modern socialist country, China can also achieve a deep decarbonization development path that is in line with the goal of limiting the global temperature increase to well below 2 °C and pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C.