Supporting China’s Green Leap Forward: Political Strategies for China’s Climate Policies

Abstract

Following three decades of Communism and three further decades of gradual economic transition, China is on the verge of progressing from a developing country into a major economic powerhouse, and is experiencing a corresponding transformation of its industry and energy landscapes and the lifestyles of its people. At the same time, despite demonstrating a growing willingness to become an active player in international climate politics, China’s stance on climate change is still heavily informed by economic imperatives and some geopolitical rivalry with the US, leading to complex signals about how development and climate policy will proceed in China. The world waits to see whether China, which faces huge investment decisions in energy infrastructure (International Energy Agency (IEA) 2009), will become the twenty-first century’s greatest climate villain or will manage a ‘green leap’ forward to become a low-carbon economic powerhouse.