The dark side of ambition: side-effects of China’s climate policy

Abstract

China’s latest commitments to the Paris Agreement have attracted great attention. Scholars have questioned the feasibility of China’s pledges to peak emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. To achieve these goals, China has resorted to extreme emissions reduction actions. However, side-effects of China’s climate ambition have been largely overlooked. An intersectional and just transitions perspective is critical to examine limits and trade-offs for broad societal goals. This paper outlines five policy approaches that can help limit adverse side-effects and unlock broader social benefits.

Keywords

• China
• climate change
• COVID-19
• energy
• intersectional analysis
• just transition