China's Energy Sector Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emission Reduction Commitments based on the Paris Agreement, 2016—2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13377920Keywords:
Carbon dioxide emissions, China commitment, energy sector, Paris AgreementAbstract
China contributed 27% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2021. Specifically, the CO2 produced by China contributed 30% of global emissions and made China the largest CO2 emitting country in the world. CO2 emissions produced in the energy sector in 2019 were quite large, namely around 10.62 GtCO2. With China's participation in the Paris Agreement, there is hope for all stakeholders in the success of mitigating world climate change. This research uses a qualitative descriptive approach to analyze China's commitment to reducing CO2 emissions in the energy sector based on the Paris Agreement. This research uses literature study techniques with data condensation, data reduction and data triangulation methods. The conclusion is drawn using the concept of international regime and compliance theory. The results of this research found that China's CO2 emissions in the energy sector continued to increase during the 2016-2020 period. This is because coal-fired electricity generation in China increased by 1.7% or 77 terawatt-hours in 2020. In addition, there was an increase in China's thermal power by 18% from 2016-2020. However, there is also China's success in increasing the percentage of renewable energy capacity from only 13% in 2016 to 15.9% in 2020. This meets the target of China's 13th Five Year Plan which targets an increase of 15% in 2020.
Downloads
References
Ari. (2018). International Regime Theories. Anadolu University Press.
Bajpai. (2023). Top Five Nations in Solar Energy GenerationTop Five Nations in Solar Energy Generation. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/top-fivenations-in-solar-energy-generation
BMUV. (2011). First Sino-German Intergovernmental Consultations in Berlin. https://www.bmuv.de/en/report/first-sino-german-intergovernmentalconsultations-in-berlin
Bodansky, D. (2016). The Legal Character of the Paris Agreement. Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law, 25(2), 142150.
Britanica. (2023). The Paris Agreement. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Paris-Agreement-2015
Bryman, A. (2019). Social Research Methods Fifth Edition. Oxford University Press.
BWE. (2023). Renewable Energy Act. https://www.windenergie.de/english/policy/rea/
Carbon Brief. (2023). The Carbon Brief Profile: China. https://interactive.carbonbrief.org/the-carbon-brief-profile-china/
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. (2016). The 13th Five-Year Plan For Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China 2016-2020. https://en.ndrc.gov.cn/policies/202105/P020210527785800103339.p df
China Daily. (2015). Full text of President Xi's Speech at Opening Ceremony of Paris Climate Summit. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/XiattendsParisclimateconferenc e/2015-12/01/content_22592469.htm
Cleveland. (2023). What Countries have the Greatest Bioenergy Power Capacity?. https://visualizingenergy.org/what-countries-have-the-greatestbioenergy-power-capacity/
Climate Watch. (2023). Historical GHG Emissions. https://www.climatewatchdata.org/ghgemissions?breakBy=sector&chartType=area&end_year=2020®ions =CHN§ors=total-excluding-lucf&start_year=2016
Danish, K. W. (2006). An overview of the international regime addressing climate change. Sustainable Dev. L. & Pol'y, 7, 10.
Energy Partnership. (2020). China Energy Transition Status Report SinoGerman Energy Transition Report. https://www.energypartnership.cn/fileadmin/user_upload/china/medi a_elements/publikasis/China_Energy_Transition_Status_Report.pdf
Gallagher, K. S., Zhang, F., Orvis, R., Rissman, J., & Liu, Q. (2019). Assessing the Policy Gaps for Achieving China’s Climate Targets in the Paris Agreement. Nature Communications, 10(1), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09159-0
Generalkonsulat der Volksrepublik China in Frankfurt am Main. (2012). Gemeinsame Erklärung zu den zweiten Deutsch-Chinesischen Regierungskonsultationen. http://frankfurt.chinaconsulate.gov.cn/det/sbwl/201208/t20120831_3438200.htm
Global Energy Monitor. (2023). Coal-fired Power Stations by Country. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kZ1SLNx-JvouHP0AHF0yo5TIqCJ2g18pQYuaw30uiw/edit#gid=667329553
GWEC. (2014). Global Wind Report 2014. https://www.gwec.net/wpcontent/uploads/2015/03/GWEC_Global_Wind_2014_Report_LR.pdf
GWEC. (2015). Global Status of Wind Power in 2015. https://www.gwec.net/wpcontent/uploads/2014/04/Global-Stauts-2015.pdf
GWEC. (2021). World installs 6.1GW of Offshore Wind in 2020, led by China. https://gwec.net/world-installs-6-1gw-of-offshore-wind-in-2020-ledby-china/
Hasenclever, A., Mayer, P., & Rittberger, V. (1997). Theories of International Regimes (No. 55). Cambridge University Press.
Hasenclever, A., Mayer, P., & Rittberger, V. (2000). Integrating theories of international regimes. Review of international studies, 26(1), 3-33. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0260210500000036
IEA. (2015). trend 2015 in Photovoltaic Applicationns. https://iea-pvps.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/01/IEA-PVPS_-_Trends_2015_-_MedRes.pdf
IEA. (2016). 2015 Sets Record for Renewable Energy New IRENA Data Shows. https://www.irena.org/News/pressreleases/2016/Apr/2015-SetsRecord-for-Renewable-Energy-New-IRENA-Data-Shows
IEA. (2016). Snapshot of Global Photovoltaic Markets. https://iea-pvps.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/01/IEA-PVPS_-_A_Snapshot_of_Global_PV__1992-2016__1_.pdf
IPCC. (2023). Kelompok kerja I: The Scientific Basis. https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tar/wg1/016.htm
John, C. (2009). Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Research Design. SAGE Publikasis.
Krasner, S. D. (1982). Structural Causes and Regime Consequences: Regimes as Intervening Variables. International organization, 36(2), 185-205.
Li & Shapiro, (2023). China Planet: Ecological Civilization and Global Climate Governance. https://issues.org/china-planet-ecological-civilizationclimate-goveranance-li-shapiro/
Li Keqiang. (2016). Report on the Work of the Government (Fourth Session of the 12th National People’s Congress, Beijing, China, March 5, 2016), 10. http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/NPC2016_WorkR eport_English.pdf; People’s Republic of China, 13th Five-Year Plan on National Economic and Social Development, March 17, 2016. Translation. http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/201603/17/content_5054992.htm
Li, J., Hamdi-Cherif, M., & Cassen, C. (2017). Aligning domestic policies with international coordination in a post-Paris global climate regime: A case for China. Technological forecasting and social change, 125, 258-274, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.06.027
Lin, J., & Zhao, A. (2022). China Mainland’s Energy Transition: How to Overcome Financial, Societal, and Institutional Challenges in the Long Term. Energy Transition and Energy Democracy in East Asia, 51. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0280-2_4#DOI
Maljean-Dubois, S., Spencer, T., & Wemaere, M. (2015). The Legal Form of the Paris Climate Agreement: A Comprehensive Assessment of Options. CCLR, 9, 68.
Marchant. (2021). This is How Climate Change Could Impact the Global Economy. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/impact-climatechange-global-gdp/
Meyer. (2014). How Compliance Understates Effectiveness. https://doi.org/10.5305/procannmeetasil.108.0168
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook 3rd Edition. SAGE Publikasis.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China. (2015). UN Climate Change Conference in Paris Starts, President Xi Jinping Attends Opening Events. https://www.mfa.gov.cn/mfa_eng/topics_665678/2015zt/xjpffgcxqhb hbldhdjbbwnfjxgsfwbfnfyhnsbzczfhzltfh/201512/t20151202_704621.h tml
Mitchell, R. B. (2008). Compliance Theory: Compliance, Effectiveness, and Behaviour Change in International Environmental Law. Oxford University Press.
Mitchell, R. B. (2008). Compliance Theory: Compliance, Effectiveness, and Behaviour Change in International Environmental Law. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199552153.013.0039
Mitchell, R. B. Ronald B. Mitchell. (1996). Compliance Theory: An Overview In Improving Compliance with international Environmental Law. Editors: James Cameron, Jacob Werksman.
National Bureau of Statistics of China. (2023). China Statistical Yearbook 2022. http://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/ndsj/2022/indexeh.htm
Observatory of Economic Complexity. (2023). China Profile Export & Import. https://oec.world/en/profile/country/chn?yearSelector1=2016&yearlyT radeFlowSelector=flow1&tradeScaleSelector1=tradeScale0&compareExp orts0=comparisonOption5
Oran R. Young (1982). Regime Dynamics: The Rise and Fall of International Regimes. International Organization, 36, pp 277297 https://doi:10.1017/S0020818300018956
Parr & Henry. (2016). China Moves Towards Ecological Civilisation. https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/chinamoves-towards-ecological-civilisation/
PBB. (2023). Causes and Effects of Climate Change. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/causes-effects-climatechange
Peterson. (2012). International Regimes as Concept. https://www.eir.info/2012/12/21/international-regimes-as-concept/
Policy Asia Pasific Energy. (2015). China: 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) for National Economic and Social Development. https://policy.asiapacificenergy.org/node/37
Policy Asia Pasific Energy. (2016). China: 13th Five Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development. https://policy.asiapacificenergy.org/node/2837
Policy Asia Pasific Energy. (2016). China: Energy Supply and Consumption Revolution Strategy (2016-2030). https://policy.asiapacificenergy.org/node/3587
Rajamani, L., & Peel, J. (Eds.). (2021). The Oxford Handbook of International Environmental Law. Oxford University Press.
Reuters. (2023). China's Power Sector Investments May Top $13.7 Trillion by 2060. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chinas-power-sectorinvestments-may-top-137-trillion-by-2060-2023-10-02/
Ruohong & Wang. (2017). China Halts Construction of 101 Coal Power Plants. https://www.caixinglobal.com/2017-01-17/china-halts-constructionof-101-coal-power-plants-101044941.html
Scott Kennedy and Christopher K. Johnson. (2016). “Perfecting China, Inc.,” Center for Strategic and International Studies, May 2016. https://csisprod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs public/publikasi/160521_Kennedy_PerfectingChinaInc_Web.pdf.
Simmons, B. (2009). Theories of Compliance. In Mobilizing for Human Rights: International Law in Domestic Politics (pp. 112-156). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511811340.004.
Simmons, B. A. (1998). Compliance with international agreements. Annual review of political science, 1(1), 75-93. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.polisci.1.1.75
Statista. (2023). Annual Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Emissions Worldwide from 1940 to 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/276629/global-co2emissions/
Statista. (2023). Distribution of Carbon Dioxide Emissions Worldwide in 2021, by Select Country. https://www.statista.com/statistics/271748/thelargest-emitters-of-co2-in-the-world/
Statista. (2023). Share of Renewables in Gross Final Electricity Consumption in the European Union (EU-27) in 2021, by Country.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/782663/renewable-energy-shareselectricity-european-union/
Stephan Haggard and Beth A. Simmons. (1987). Theories of International Regimes. International Organization, 41, pp 491517 https://doi:10.1017/S0020818300027569
Stephen D. Krasner. (1982). Regimes and the limits of realism: regimes as autonomous variables. International Organization, 36, pp 497-510 https://doi:10.1017/S0020818300019032
The Guardian. (2017). China to Invest £292bn in Renewable Power by 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jan/05/china-investrenewable-fuel-2020-energy
Tiezza. (2018). China’s Massive Government Overhaul: What You Need to Know. https://thediplomat.com/2018/03/chinas-massive-governmentoverhaul-what-you-need-to-know/
Tud Nord. (2023). Energy Audit According to DIN EN 16247-1. https://www.tuev-nord.de/en/company/energy/energyefficiency/energy-efficiency-in-trade-and-industry/energy-auditaccording-to-din-en-16247-1/
UNEP. (2023). Climate Change and Security Risks. https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/disasters-conflicts/what-wedo/disaster-risk-reduction/climate-change-and-security
UNFCCC. (2023). Conference of the Parties (COP). https://unfccc.int/process/bodies/supreme-bodies/conference-of-theparties-cop
UNFCCC. (2023). Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA). https://unfccc.int/process/bodies/supreme-bodies/conference-of-theparties-serving-as-the-meeting-of-the-parties-to-the-paris-agreementcma
UNFCCC. (2023). Governing and Subsidiary Bodies. https://unfccc.int/processand-meetings/bodies/governing-and-subsidiary-bodies
UNFCCC. (2023). NDC Registry. https://unfccc.int/NDCREG
UNFCCC. (2023). The Paris Agreement. https://unfccc.int/process-andmeetings/the-paris-agreement
UNFCCC. (2023). What Are Governing, Process Management, Subsidiary, Constituted and Concluded Bodies?. https://unfccc.int/process-andmeetings/what-are-governing-process-management-subsidiaryconstituted-and-concluded-bodies
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2023). Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data. https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/globalgreenhouse-gas-emissions-data
Uwin & Farmer. (2019). Wind energy is a well-established Source of Renewable Energy, but What Countries have the Highest Wind Energy Capacity in the World?. https://www.power-technology.com/features/wind-energyby-country/
Wan, X., Jiang, T., Li, S., & Nie, J. (2021). China’s Carbon Emissions Structure and Reduction Potential on the Supply-Side and Demand-Side of Energy: Under the Background of Four Influencing Factors. Plos one, 16(8), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255387
Wang, Y., Su, X., Qi, L., Shang, P., & Xu, Y. (2019). Feasibility of Peaking Carbon Emissions of the Power Sector in China’s Eight Regions: Decomposition, Decoupling, and Prediction Analysis. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05909-1
WEF. (2022). These are the Countries Bidding to Become Wind Power Superpowers. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/offshoreonshore-wind-power-auction-capacity/
Werksman, J. (2019). Remarks on the International Legal Character of the Paris Agreement. Md. J. Int'l L., 34, 343.
Wild, P. S. (2020). Cooperation on Renewable Energy Transition: A Study of the Sino-German Energy Relationship
World Resources Institute. (2023). This Interactive Chart Shows Changes in the World's Top 10 Emitters. https://www.wri.org/insights/interactivechart-shows-changes-worlds-top-10-emitters
World Resources Institute. (2023). What is an INDC?. https://www.wri.org/indc- definition
Wu, X., Xu, C., Ma, T., Xu, J., & Zhang, C. (2022). Carbon Emission of China’s Power Industry: Driving Factors and Emission Reduction Path. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(52), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21297-5
Xinhua. (2016). China Signs Paris Agreement on Climate Change. http://english.www.gov.cn/state_council/vice_premiers/2016/04/23/ content_281475333331232.htm
Yang, J., Dong, H., & Jiang, T. (2022). Structural Emission Reduction in China’s Industrial Systems and Energy Systems: An Input-Output Analysis. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(4), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15447-4
Yu, Y., & Kong, Q. (2017). Analysis on the Influencing Factors of Carbon Emissions from Energy Consumption in China based on LMDI Method. Natural Hazards, 88, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-017-2941-0
Zhao, Y., Li, H., Zhang, Z., Zhang, Y., Wang, S., & Liu, Y. (2017). Decomposition and Scenario Analysis of CO2 Emissions in China’s Power Industry: Based on LMDI Method. Natural Hazards, 86, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-016-2710-5
Zhou, S., Tong, Q., Pan, X., Cao, M., Wang, H., Gao, J., & Ou, X. (2021). Research on Low-Carbon Energy Transformation of China Necessary to Achieve the Paris Agreement Goals: A Global Perspective. Energy Economics, 95, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2021.105137
Downloads
Published
Versions
- 24.07.2024 (3)
- 22.07.2024 (2)
- 05.07.2024 (1)
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Jurnal Terekam Jejak
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.