Urban Climate Change Governance in China 2015

Abstract

In the last 30 years, China has experienced rapid economic development and urbanisation, which has resulted in high levels of environmental degradation and considerable pressure on the country’s infrastructure and natural resources. While China’s rate of development may be slowing down, China’s continuing commitment to considerably lowering the carbon intensity of its economy will still have a significant impact on the world’s quest to curb the proportion of climate change that is due to human induced-greenhouse gas emissions. This paper puts into context the governance challenges the nation encounters in achieving its carbon reduction goals. It identifies the characteristics of China’s municipal governance, policy design and development, and urban energy consumption as having the highest impact on the governance of climate change. It concludes there is a pressing need to further research on urban governance transitions to ascertain enabling and constraining factors to climate governance.