Low-Carbon Growth Links with China
Closed
What the inquiry looked at
“Transcript of the session at Tuesday 6 March 2012 Professor Samuel Fankhauser, Grantham Institute, London School of Economics, Professor Trevor Davies, Tyndall Centre, University of East Anglia, and Professor Corinne Le Quéré, Tyndall Centre, University of East Anglia; Nick Mabey, Chief Executive, E3G, and Felix Preston, Research Fellow, Chatham House; Baroness Bryony Worthington, Sandbag, George Yu, Sandbag, and Richard Baron, International Energy Agency, gave evidence. Transcript of the session at Tuesday 13 March 2012. John MacArthur, Vice President CO2 Policy, Shell, Alistair Guthrie, Global Sustainable Buildings Design Leader, Arup, and Peter Budd, Vice Chairman, China-Britain Business Council, and Director, Arup; Gregory Barker MP, Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Henry Bellingham MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, James Hughes, Head of International Climate Change Strategy, Energy and Analysis, Department of Energy and Climate Change, John Ashton, Special Representative for Climate Change, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Gregory Briffa, Low Carbon Team Leader, Department for International Development, gave evidence. As the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, China’s actions have the potential to make a vital contribution to keeping temperature rises within acceptable bounds. However, although China is a member of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), China is not committed to emissions reductions as part of an international agreement. Greater bilateral co-operation between major emitters could make an important contribution to achieving emissions reductions. The Committee will investigate how the UK and China can together enhance their co-operation to accelerate the shift to low carbon growth in both countries. UK-China Climate Change Co-operation In October 2011 the UK signed a new framework Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on UK-China Climate Change Co-operation. This governs the overall shape of our bilateral co-operation, including that provided by DECC, DFID and the FCO. Another MOU on Low Carbon Co-operation, signed in January 2011, is intended to boost efforts in China’s low carbon pilot zones by sharing practical policy expertise in: low carbon planning; use of market mechanisms; and promoting low carbon standards. China has pledged to lower CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 40–45% by 2020, increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 15% by 2020 and increase forest coverage. In the 12th Five Year Plan (2011–2015), the Chinese government identified seven Strategic Emerging Industries for particular support, three of which are directly related to clean energy technologies. It also announced a number of trial emissions trading systems. This inquiry will explore the potential for enhanced political, economic and technological linkages with China, including how to deepen the cooperation between low-carbon industries and how this could contribute to mutual environmental and economic goals. Taking into account developments in the latest round of UNFCCC negotiations, it will assess the progress made in climate change and energy co-operation between the two countries. In doing so, the inquiry will ask whether UK work in China is being coordinated effectively and how DECC, and the Government can take this work forward to create a productive low-carbon partnership.”
The committee's words, from the inquiry page on parliament.uk ↗.
What it found
China is central to global efforts to tackle climate change and should be at the heart of HMG’s climate change mitigation strategy. UK emissions reductions are tiny compared with the growth in Chinese emissions, but reducing our own emissions also serves other purposes. Low-carbon leadership by the UK may encourage major emitters like China toward sustainable development. Developing the UK’s green economy will also be vital to ensure that our businesses can continue to compete in a decarbonised world.
The environmental and economic costs if the threat of climate change is not addressed are daunting and cannot be avoided without international action. Meanwhile, the possibilities for growth in low-carbon industries are highly attractive. The UK can encourage the trend toward low-carbon development in China at the same time as creating new opportunities for British businesses.
The UK has set itself the objective of being a climate change leader and pioneered decarbonisation policies such as the Climate Change Act 2008 and emissions trading. We were impressed by the work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in China, but we found that leadership was being undermined in a number of ways.
Firstly, the Government’s work in China suffers from a lack of strategic direction. There are too many projects, focusing on too many different areas, rather than a coordinated effort to achieve key objectives. The Government must take stock of where UK strengths and Chinese priorities overlap and focus interventions in these areas.
Second, our leadership role in China is being undermined by our “image”. We have not been as effective as other countries at showing what the UK has to offer. The UK’s image is also tarnished by the reputation of being “all talk and no action”. Action at home will be key to maintaining British influence in international debates and the competitiveness of UK low-carbon industries. Slowing the pace of decarbonisation at home could undermine our low-carbon businesses and the export opportunities for this sector, and the credibility of UK leadership on climate change.
What the government said
No government response is linked to this report.
How the inquiry ran
Each dot is a dated item listed on this page, from the inquiry's opening on 8 December 2011 to 29 August 2012.
- Oral evidence 2 sessions
- Report 29 Aug 2012
What it recommended
The committee's recommendations are not listed here yet. Read them in Third Report - Low-Carbon Growth Links with China ↗ on parliament.uk.
Evidence
Oral evidence sessions 2
- 13 Mar 2012No witnesses recordedparliament.uk ↗
- 6 Mar 2012No witnesses recordedparliament.uk ↗