文档介绍：IN FOCUS
POLICY BRIEFING
Research and analysis from the
Institute of Development Studies ISSUE 08
CHINA AND DEVELOPMENT:
LESSONS FOR AND FROM THE WORLD
SEPTEMBER 2009
Climate Change, Energy, and
Low-carbon Development
in the Chinese Context
China faces the challenge of achieving higher levels of development in times of climate change and
within a carbon-constrained world. China has begun to implement plans for low-carbon growth,
renewable energy and climate change policy. other countries can learn from this experience – both
from what has and hasn’t worked. at the same time China can learn how to avoid following the same
high-carbon development pathway as developed countries and how to develop low-carbon technologies.
Introduction Carbon dioxide emissions by some of the world’s largest
Developing countries have historically
contributed very little to climate emitters and the african continent
change – the main cause is the graph 1: total emissions in 2006
greenhouse gas emissions of developed US
countries cumulated over the past two China
centuries (graph 3). This situation will
EU
change as emerging economies like
China, India and South Africa increase africa
their emissions – according to some 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
sources China is already the world’s mtons Co2
highest emitter of carbon dioxide, the graph 2: Co2 emiss