Climate Policy in China: the Procedural Component

Abstract

The article discusses the activities carried out by the Chinese authorities and aimed at combating climate change on the planet. There are 3 areas: climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and international cooperation.Aim. To consider the procedural component of China’s climate policy.Methods. The following methods were used: systems approach, secondary analysis of data on the research topic, generalization, synthesis, methods of comparison and chronology.Results. The work describes important events in the history of the decision-making by the Chinese leadership on the implementation of climate policy in chronological order. The activities in the field of climate carried out by Beijing in 3 areas were considered. There are mitigation, adaptation and international. In the field of climate change mitigation, all measures are reduced to increasing the share of renewable energy in total energy generation, switching from coal to natural gas, building new nuclear power plants, stimulating the active use of energy-efficient vehicles, increasing forest plantations, developing green finance and a system of trading quotas for carbon emissions, etc. It is worth highlighting the creation of an integrated system of meteorological observations, the implementation of projects for the regulation and distribution of water resources, the construction of experimental cities, information support for the population on climate change issues among the measures to adapt to climate change. China is a participant in many international events dedicated to climate change issues, including as an investor, and it also concludes bilateral and multilateral agreements on the considering issue, including with the EAEU and Russia.Conclusions. The predominant direction is climate change mitigation. The measures are mainly aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is due to the need to ensure of the energy and environmental safety of China. Currently, China is recognized as one of the leaders in the development of a low-carbon economy. However, the country must switch to the path of “green” development, that is, to increase the share of renewable energy and nuclear energy in total energy generation and gradually to phase out the use of coal, oil and gas in order to achieve the goal of establishing carbon neutrality by 2060.