Global Economic Development "Decarbonization"

Representatives from nearly 200 countries presented a rare gift to the future in Paris.

After many years of difficult negotiations, representatives of various countries have finally adopted a historic agreement at the Paris Climate Conference aimed at controlling the rise in global temperatures.

This legal document called the "Paris Agreement" is not only about controlling greenhouse gas emissions, but also about the living environment and quality of human beings, the fairness of world development, and the survival and development of humankind's children and grandchildren.

"The agreement conveys a strong positive signal that the world will achieve green, low-carbon, climate-adapted and sustainable development," said Xie Zhenhua, the special representative of China's climate change affairs.

The "Paris Agreement" stipulates that "the balance between anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gas sources and the removal of sinks in the second half of this century should be achieved."

This jerky scientific language may be difficult to understand. However, this means "net zero emissions" of greenhouse gases, explained Jennifer Morgan, director of climate research at the World Resources Institute (WRI).

It indicates that the "decarbonization" trend of global economic development has become irreversible.

More observers, such as Morgan, who have been tracking climate negotiations have positively affirmed such goals.

"Although the agreement is not perfect, there are still some things that need to be perfected, but this does not prevent us from taking a historic step forward," Xie Zhenhua said.

However, this is only a new beginning.

“After climbing over a mountain, people discovered that there are still more mountains to climb through,” as Edna Molewa, Minister of Water Resources and Environmental Affairs of South Africa, quoted Nelson Mandela when speaking on behalf of the Group of 77/China. What is said is the same.

A multilateral diplomacy victory

The success of the Paris Climate Conference resulted from the French government’s diplomatic actions, the political impetus of heads of state at the Paris climate conference, the long-term negotiations and wisdom of the diplomats of various countries, and the lobbying of non-governmental organizations.

The reporter interviewed many observers who tracked the climate negotiations for many years and believed that this was a victory in multilateral diplomacy and pointed out a new direction for global climate governance.

After all, compared with the "Kyoto Protocol", the "Paris Agreement" can be regarded as a truly global climate agreement under the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Because both developed and developing countries need to take action for climate protection.

At present, about 190 countries have submitted to the United Nations a climate protection plan for the next 5 or 10 years after 2020, covering about 95% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

"This was totally unthinkable 6 years ago," said Teng Fei, a researcher at the Institute of Energy, Environment and Economics at Tsinghua University, who told the 21st Century Business Herald reporter.

Like all global agreements, the Paris Agreement is not perfect. Although the agreement is generally legally binding, there are no legal restrictions on the specific climate actions of countries and the contribution of rich countries to help the poor countries after 2020.

The existing loose climate action aggregate does not allow humans to avoid disasters caused by climate change.

However, the most important thing is that the "Paris Agreement" has formed a set of mechanisms, namely, through the global inventory of climate action, countries will dynamically improve their climate action and achieve global long-term goals. At the same time, climate actions in all countries need to be transparent, enhance mutual trust and confidence.

Although it cannot be achieved in one step, "The success of the Paris Agreement lies in enabling all countries in the world to participate and gradually increase climate action on this basis," Teng Fei said.

The challenge still exists

After cheering, you need to clearly understand that the challenge still exists.

The challenge is how to implement these international commitments and implement this agreement, which was established by diplomats day and night.

"A sub-program is implemented in nine minutes. The agreement has already been negotiated and the next key task is to implement it." Xie Zhenhua emphasized.

Although the political and economic signals have been clearly issued, the use of fossil energy will gradually decrease in the long run.

"This agreement has delivered a significant signal to the market," and will have more capital going into the cleansing sector, said Michael Jacob, a senior consultant on new climate economics projects.

However, executives in the fossil energy industry do not believe that the Paris Agreement reached on the weekend will have a huge impact on their business in the short term.

“The business will not have an immediate effect on a weekend, and the Paris agreement is extremely unlikely to change the market in the short term,” said Jonathan Grant, director of sustainable development and climate change program at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Even so, Hu Min, director of China's low-carbon development project for energy, told reporters that “the climate negotiations are only a link, and the business community has been facing the risks and opportunities of climate change monetization. More and more investors are turning to the clean energy industry. Is happening."

In fact, Wall Street, the City of London and Chinese capital have begun to pay more attention to clean energy investment.

For example, led by Bill Gates, 28 leading global technology companies including Alibaba’s Ma Yun and Internet companies and other business leaders formed the “Breakthrough Energy Coalition” and launched a mission innovation. The activities of "Mission Innovation" are dedicated to investing more capital in addressing climate change and clean energy issues in the next five years.

Of course, what needs to be made clear is that the development of the world economy that has depended on fossil fuels since the industrial era began is still a long way off. According to the 2015 Global Status Report on Renewable Energy, fossil fuels still accounted for 78.3% of the energy consumption ratio in 2013.

"The Paris agreement is just one step in many steps in the right direction," Grant said.

However, "The Paris agreement will urge all countries in the world to change their respective development methods and lifestyles," said Xie Zhenhua.

In fact, climate change and China's severe haze are all of the same root and both need to strive to get rid of the development model of over-reliance on fossil fuels.

“China will continue to honor its action targets for climate change by 2020, actively implement its own contributions, strive to achieve peaks as soon as possible, and work together with all parties to promote the implementation of the Paris Agreement in accordance with the principles of the Convention and promote cooperation and win-win results. The Global Climate Governance System, said Xie Zhenhua.

In this transformation, "China has become a participant and contributor to the formulation of global climate governance rules," Teng Fei said.

“This is not only a manifestation of China’s leadership in the field of climate diplomacy, but it also creates a new space for China’s own climate action. This big step in climate change also reflects China's thinking towards an ecological civilization. "Determined," said Li Yan, deputy director of the Greenpeace project of the International Environmental Protection Organization.