Even before the "Fridays for Future" movement received worldwide attention, it was clear that man-made climate change would pose a major challenge to the world's population in a world that is striving for ever greater economic growth. Among the most obvious consequences are the rise in the average temperature of the world, the rise in sea levels and the increase in extreme weather events such as droughts and storms. However, climate change can also have significant consequences for the global economy, with some regions being affected more and others less. However, due to the globalization and interconnectedness of today's world, almost everyone will be affected. For example, not only do extreme weather events cause very high losses, but the changed conditions also lead to significantly higher costs in many areas. Thus, increasing energy costs. In their article "China's energy policies and strategies for climate change and energy security" the authors Haifeng Deng and Paolo Davide Farah therefore deal with energy security in the context of climate change and China. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the USA, the damage caused by the hurricane was estimated at USD 200 billion for insurance companies alone, and economic growth slumped by 0.2 to 0.4 percent. In addition, there was damage to infrastructure and health consequences for the population. Although various industries, such as the construction industry, are benefiting from this, the profit is in no relation to the damage. Although China is one of the world's largest CO2 emitters on the one hand, it is also one of the countries most affected by climate change on the other hand. Deng and Farah describe in their article that the average temperature in China has already increased by 0.3 degrees due to the strong industrialization. The precipitation is expected to increase by 2-3 percent. Together with the higher sea level, this is becoming an imminent danger for the regions of the Yangtze and Pearl River Delta. At the same time, according to Deng and Farah, the lakes and rivers in the northern regions are drying up. Accordingly, China is committed to reducing CO2 emissions. Deng and Farah write about how legislation in China has been too short-sighted in the past, but they see efforts like the Coal Law and the Electrical Act as a step in the right direction. However, China continues to drive its economy at the expense of the environment. So, it seems a bit paradoxical when you look at the plans of China's Belt and Roads Initiative. According to Deng and Farah, China is diversifying its energy sources within the framework of the Belt and Roads Initiative, but the construction of coal-fired power plants, mines and factories are also planned, which are not ecologically sound. In addition, BRI also means progress for many participating countries. Progress that, if you look at the development of other countries, can be accompanied by high pressure on the environment. Although China's efforts are probably already a step in the right direction, and Deng and Farah can agree with this, it remains to be seen what the future realization and implementation will look like. Especially considering further changing environmental conditions.
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