China's Participation in Global Governance on Climate Mitigation: Study on the Influence of Epistemic Communities in the Policy-Making Process

Abstract

As one of the leading GHG (greenhouse gas) emission countries, China is playing the most important role in the world climate mitigation issue. Since 1980s, China's climate change policy has been transformed deeply: from the symbolic participation to substantial cooperation, from the refusing to take any quantified emission cut to taking the carbon intensity reduction way, and to take the quantified emission cut in the near future. This paper argues that the Epistemic Communities, especially the Chinese experts among them, actually facilitate China's change in the climate change issue -- the change of policies and the attitude toward global governance in the climate mitigation. China has to make some change or take some responsibility facing high international press. To deal with that press, state decision makers would consult with the experts in that area. Those experts who participated in the decision making process are really influential. However, not all the professionals would be put into the consultation channel. China's transformation would be a kind of active adjustment and adaptation rather than a passive acceptance. 作为温室气体排放大国之一，中国在缓解全球气候变化事宜中扮演着最重要的角色。自二十世纪八十年代以来，中国的气候变化应对政策发生了深刻的变化：从象征性参与到 实质性合作，从拒绝承担任何量化减排指标到走上降低碳强度之路，并在不久的未来即 将实施量化减排。本文论证了知识共同体，尤其是知识共同体中的中国专家是促进中国 在气候变化问题上转变的关键因素——包括对缓解气候变化全球治理方面的态度转变 及政策转变。面对国际社会的巨大压力，中国必须做出改变或承担相应责任。为了应对 压力，国家政策制定者将向该领域专家进行咨询，因此参与决策制定过程的专家意见影 响深远。然而，并非所有专业人士意见都能获得采纳。中国在转型中将做出积极调整和 应对，而非被动接受。