China in the fight against climate change: an analysis of technological strategies and policy actions in the light of IPCC/AR5 proposals

• Grant number: 18/08351-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2018
• End date: November 17, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Economics
• Principal Investigator: Rosana Icassatti Corazza
• Grantee: Marina Betetto Drezza
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/25523-2 - China facing the challenges of climate change: climate governance in the context of greenhouse gases emissions growth, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

China's intense growth has been possible, from the energy point of view, by the strong exploitation of its coal reserves. In the last decade, the country stands out for the pursuit of a leading role in renewable energy sources and related technologies for a transition towards a low carbon economy. Meanwhile, China's dependence on coal is still profound: two-thirds of its energy needs are met by this source, whose use has grown between 2000 and 2013 at rates of almost 10% a year. Today the country is the largest global emitter of greenhouse gases and, whatever the ways to mitigate these gases, China's role is considered to be of great relevance both in international climate negotiations and in the development of policy actions and commitment to develop technological solutions. This Research Initiative seeks to identify Chinese positions and actions in relation to climate negotiations, in particular the climate regime associated with the Paris Agreement. The specific objectives are three. First, identify and report on the goals proposed by the country as its Nationally Determined Contributions. Second, identify and describe China's policies and actions to address climate change. Third, to identify, describe, systematize and classify the technological development strategies adopted by China in order to achieve those goals. To achieve these objectives, the research methodology to be used includes documental analysis, semi-systematic bibliographic review and survey of materials on technological changes for the preparation of news clippings in specialized websites and magazines presented in the methodology of this project. With regard to policy actions, the report China's Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change (2017), an official document on the subject, published in late 2017 by the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China (NDRC) - the Chinese government's planning body. The analysis of the results will be carried out in the light of proposed sectoral and intersectoral changes suggested by the IPCC AR5 (2014).