In the midst of global economic development, the world is rapidly running out of resources. It is imperative that the level of carbon emissions be addressed by countries globally. This is especially so in China, where industrialization, city development and progressive agriculture have developed substantially. This comprehensive and integrated annual review volume sets the precedent in addressing this issue by being the pioneering volume on China's low-carbon development efforts, based on research efforts conducted by the Climate Policy Initiative at Tsinghua — an independent, experienced and professional research group.Several key questions on the results of China's 11th Five-Year plan are explored by reviewing China's performance against targets, while key policies and institutions that were designed and implemented are described. With a focus on the effectiveness of low-carbon development policies in China during the period of 2005-2008 and a look at detailed key indicators of low-carbon development such as energy consumption, CO2 emission and low-carbon technologies, the Annual Review of Low-carbon Development in China offers some insights and questions to consider as China works to meet the future through 2020.

During the last few decades, China has accomplished unprecedented economic growth and has emerged as the second largest economy in the world. This ‘economic miracle’ has led hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, but has also come at a high cost. Environmental degradation and the impact of environmental pollution on health are nowadays issues of the greatest concern for the Chinese public and the government. The Routledge Handbook of Environmental Policy in China focuses on the environmental challenges of China’s rapidly growing economy and provides a comprehensive overview of the policies developed to address the environmental crisis. Leading international scholars and practitioners examine China’s environmental governance efforts from an interdisciplinary perspective. Divided into five parts, the handbook covers the following key issues: Part I: Development of Environmental Policy in China - Actors and Institutions Part II: Key issues and Strategies for Solution Part III: Policy Instruments and Enforcement Part IV: Related Policy Fields – Conflicts and Synergies Part V: China’s Environmental Policy in the International Context This comprehensive handbook will be an invaluable resource to students and scholars of environmental policy and politics, development studies, Chinese studies, geography and international relations.

Nowhere is the connection between society and the environment more evident and potentially more harmful for the future of the world than in Asia. In recent decades, rapid development of Asian countries with very large populations has led to an unprecedented increase in environmental problems such as air and water pollution, solid and hazardous wastes, deforestation, depletion of natural resources and extinction of native species. This handbook provides a comprehensive survey of the cultural, social and policy contexts of environmental change across East Asia. The team of international experts critically examine a wide range of environmental problems related to energy, climate change, air, land, water, fisheries, forests and wildlife. The editors conclude that, with nearly half of the human population of the planet, and several rapidly growing economies, most notably China, Asian societies will determine much of the future of human impacts on the regional and global environments. As climate change-related threats to society increase, the book strongly argues for increased environmental consciousness and action in Asian societies. This handbook is a very valuable companion for students, scholars, policy makers and researchers working on environmental issues in Asia.

A special volume in the Chinese Research Perspectives on the Environment series, this English-language volume is an edited collection of articles from the Chinese-language volume of The Annual Review of Low-Carbon Development in China (2011-2012). This is a pioneering volume on China's low-carbon development efforts, challenges, plans, trends, and policy recommendations, all based on research conducted by the Climate Policy Initiative at Tsinghua University, China. In this work, key results in China's 11th Five-Year Plan are explored by reviewing China's performance against targets, while the implementation of key policies and institutions are described with a focus on the effectiveness of low-carbon development policies in China during the period of 2005-2010. In addition, focus is placed on key indicators of low-carbon development such as energy consumption, CO2 emission, and low-carbon technologies. It discusses issues ranging from the low-carbon transformation of China’s economy to innovative low-carbon technologies, from low-carbon financing and incentive policies to changes in the business sector and consumer behaviors. The compilation offers not only insights on facts, but also introduces discussion on some of the more controversial issues China faces as it works to meet climate and energy challenges up through 2020.

The fate of the climate change regime hangs in the balance as the UN-led negotiations try to forge a new international strategy for the post-2020 period. Since 1992, the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol has been the primary legal instrument to respond to the climate challenge. However, the intergovernmental process has been riddled with problems that have rendered it ineffective. The changing economic landscape has further made this country grouping problematic as some developing countries now emit more than some of their advanced counterparts. Such problems have crippled the existing regime in adequately addressing climate change. Building upon the expertise of the contributors of this volume, this ground-breaking collection aims to show the way forward for the intergovernmental process. It is the first of its kind to explore the key features of the regime, featuring meticulously researched pieces from leading experts in the field. Each chapter responds to the questions surrounding the political and structural limitations of the current top-down approach taken in climate negotiations and proposes various alternatives countries can take to overcome such limitations in the process of building the post-2020 climate change regime. In particular, this collection underscores the concept of low-carbon development and green growth to make the climate change regime more effective.

Utilizing a governmentality lens, this timely book offers an explanation for ChinaÕs decarbonization performance in the early 21st century. Le-Yin Zhang investigates one of the most ambitious governing projects in history, analyzing the political rationalities of Chinese leaders for decarbonization and the governing techniques and technologies at multiple levels of governance.

ÔThis book is very timely. . . it provides important insights for bilateral cooperation and international negotiations. These lessons go beyond EUÐChina and EUÐVietnam relations. Many of them are applicable to other countries in Asia, a region which will remain a key priority for EU foreign and climate policy, not least as the EUÕs largest trading partner.Õ Ð From the foreword by Jos Delbeke, Director General, EC DG Climate Action The Governance of Climate Relations between Europe and Asia offers a thorough empirical study of the most fundamental dynamics involved in EU climate relations with China and Vietnam in the context of global climate governance. This book presents a study of the most important governance processes in current EUÐAsia climate relations. It focuses on in-depth empirical case studies, offering a comprehensive relational perspective. Contributions on China cover the most essential issues, interests and actors, while the inquiry of EUÐVietnam relations mainly focuses on the Clean Development Mechanism as the main channel of bilateral climate action. This landmark study will appeal to both policymakers and practitioners faced with the extraordinary task of managing the increasingly complex and multilevel interactions of current EUÐAsia climate relations as well as global carbon market watchers and professionals dealing with emissions trading in the European Union, China and Vietnam. It will also be of interest to scholars and postgraduate students of international relations, Chinese and EU foreign policy, global environmental and climate governance and international law.

This book focuses on the politics, discourse and actors surrounding climate change issues in China. This framework offers a new way of observing Chinese discourses around climate change. Discursive changes in coal consumption and air pollution have been raised to uncover the various motivations of China towards addressing climate issues. This book will be of interest to a variety of different stakeholders including policy-makers, non-state actors, business communities and media, and anyone who are interested in the climate governance of China.

This book explores how and why innovative climate policies spread across subnational regions and between governance levels in China. Despite the significance of emerging economies in a pathway to a zero-carbon future, research to date on China’s transformation governance remains limited. Drawing on a theoretical framework for policy diffusion and based on extensive data from expert interviews with Chinese decisionmakers and policy practitioners, Lina Li and Maia Haru Hall focus on the policy of emissions trading systems (ETS) and two key case studies: Shanghai and Hubei. The authors examine the role of the national government and how much freedom the subnational regions have in developing ETS policy, as well as pinpointing key actors and the role of policy and knowledge diffusion mechanisms. Overall, this book sheds light on the competition between China and the West in the transition to climate-friendly societies and economies, highlighting opportunities for cooperation between them. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of environmental politics and policy, climate change, urban studies, and Chinese studies more broadly.

This book probes into China's economic growth in 2013 and predicts China's development prospects. China’s GDP growth in 2014 continues to slow down, and is expected to be 7.6%, with the CPI stable at a level of 2.5%. With the pressures of structural slowdown, 2014 will be a year of adjustment, and there will be a slowdown in new initiatives to minimize risk. Against a background of policies to stabilize growth, change structures and promote reforms, and in order to assess the sustainability of development and transformation and upgrade of China's provincial regions, this book proposes a system for evaluating the country’s development prospects and expounds economic growth at the provincial level.