Kyoto protocol is the first global agreement concerning the problems of the environment protection. The protocol unites the world’s countries with the advancing and the developing economies under an obligation to implement measures and policies directed at the reduction of air pollution on their territories. This essay discusses China’s position and role in the negotiations concerning the environmental problems.
China is an active member of the global negotiations about the protection of the environment. The Chinese leaders support the principle of “common but differentiated” responsibilities for the participants which means that the developed countries are more responsible for the current global warming due to their industrialization (China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change par. 1).
China also sticks to the Bali Road Map which insists that the Kyoto Protocol is consistently followed, the reforms it requires are regularly implemented, and the needed technologies and investments are made timely by the developed countries that intend to reduce their emissions (China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change par. 2).
China’s position in regard to the duties of the developed countries is that they are more capable of developing advanced technologies and invest into the reduction of emissions. As for the developing countries, China’s perspective maintains that while they fight poverty and build up their economies, they should also take into consideration the environmental conditions in their regions and avoid causing too much damage.
Besides, China supports the principle of the sustainable development which emphasizes the pursuit of the beneficial outcomes for both the present and the future generations by means of the promotion of the green lifestyle all over the world. Moreover, the Chinese leaders agree that the current climate change required adaptation of the global society and the necessary funding to prevent possible cataclysms caused by the warming.
Finally, when it comes to the decision-making process, China supports the idea of the small scale and informal consultations to maintain the negotiation process and reach compromise faster. Besides, the Chinese leaders believe that the leader of the climate change negotiations is the United Nations.
China is one of the countries that have made an immense contribution to the pollution of the environment over the last two decades. Based on the research, its average temperature has risen by 1.1 degrees Celsius over the last hundred years which is predicted to turn into 3.5 degrees by the end of this century (Lai par. 1).
The impacts of the global warming on China are diverse and include the melting glaciers, rising sea level, lake overflow resulting in floods, decrease of water level in some rivers leading to droughts, loss of biodiversity and the destruction of coral reefs (Lai, par. 2-14). Among the most vulnerable regions of the country are Shanghai and Hong Kong since they are especially exposed to the risk of the natural disasters which have become more common in China.
Due to the worsening weather conditions and frequent abnormal natural disasters China has suffered a serious damage to the health of the population and the country’s economy. Moreover, the climatic conditions are predicted to become much more dangerous within the next fifty years and result in water scarcity (Lai par 25). These problems are the concerns that force China to be an active participant in the agreements and measures targeting the negative impacts of the global warming.
Works Cited
China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change. Gov.cn. 2012.
Lai, Elisa Chin Yin. Climate Change Impacts on China’s Environment: Biophysical Impacts. Web.