Chinas environmental diplomacy within the United Nations regime in the reform era: Troubled Modernizer or Rational Player?

A critical assessment.

In the reform era the Chinese economic development has been remarkable but also has disastrous effects for the environment.1 As global environmental degradation has become a major issue in international politics affecting the global economy2, the Chinese diplomacy during the reform era had to conduct its own strategy in dealing with environmental matters and especially with carbon dioxide emissions. Is Chinese environmental diplomacy adapting to the rules of environmental diplomacy or moving towards a learning process of complying with environmental regimes? This essay will argue that Chinese diplomacy is following a rational environmental strategy, selectively adopting international environmental rules that do not clash its main goals. After setting the historical, theoretical framework, Chinese diplomacy will be critically examined in a multilateral level, within the United Nations environmental regime. Within a broader international framework, the UN Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm in 1972, was the beginning of establishing an international environmental regime. Even though environmental issues had been raised before, the Stockholm Conference inaugurated a series of developments that has defined since then the way international political action confronts environmental issues. Thirst, the Conference set the basis of agreed principles upon which environmental diplomacy would be conducted. Secondly, international and regional networks were established whose main task was the monitoring of environmental problems and providing accurate information. Thirdly, the United 1 Vaclav Smil, Chinas Environmental Crisis. An Inquiry into the Limits of national Development, East Gate Book,1993 / Chinas Past, Chinas future: Energy, Food, Environment, RoutledgeCurzon,2004

2 Hurrell Andrew, International Political Theory and the Global Environment in International Relations Theory Today edited by Ken Booth and Steve Smith/ Owen Greene, Environmental Issues in the Globalization of World Politics edited by Steve Smith and John Baylis, Oxford University Press,3rd edition,2004

Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) was the first international institution to have been established whose primary duty was the promoting of international issues. Overall, the Stockholm Conference set the political context for political environmental action since in the domestic level states begun establishing environmental ministries whereas in the

international level a sophisticated network of non-governmental organizations has been developed3. The next important station in global environmental politics is the Brundtland report or World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987. The report established the goal for sustainable development. The framework of sustainable development, despite its vague and contradictory nature, gained international support and set the base for the Earth

Summit, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) that took place in Rio De Janeiro in June 1992.Since then, sustainable development is the conceptual umbrella under which environmental policies are conducted and judged4. As Chinese state has been part of the Conventions, Chinese environmental diplomacy is examined within this framework. From the very beginning Chinese environmental diplomacy has been increasingly participating and engaging selectively with international environmental regimes and agreements. It could be even be argued that there is a continuity in conducting a rational, as Martin Wight defines rationality, foreign policy. Therefore, even though Chinese diplomacy did not participate actively in the preparations for the Stockholm Conference, it advocated that the advanced industrialized countries are primary responsible for the increasing

environmental pollution, taking a leading role and representing the majority of the developing countries. Moreover, despite the fact that in this first international environmental agreement 3 Owen Green,ibid

ibid

Chinese

diplomacy

avoided

international

obligations

by

not

complying

with

treaty

commitments, the UNCHE offered the ground for China (as well as other developing countries) to form its own environmental policy, distinct from the policies of the developed countries. The UNCHEP also was the starting point that triggered a series of positive developments in the domestic level with the Chinese government initiating environmental institutions, environmental awareness campaigns and environmental legislation5. The rationality of the Chinese diplomacy is also apparent in its method not to allow international rules and norms defining the Chinese states priorities and policies. Twenty years after the Stockholm Conference, during the Earth Summit, Chinese diplomacy following the same line of arguments advocated that a distinction between developed and developing countries should be maintained as far as it concerns the obligations towards environmental regulations and conventions. The united front of the developing countries with China being their leading negotiator was successful since the final text of the Rio Convention makes a distinction between industrialized, developed countries belonging to Annex I countries ,such as USA and Japan , and non-Annex I countries such as China and African countries. This distinction allows China not to be obliged implementing environmental rules that contradict its primary goal for domestic economic development.6 In more detail, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) offered China the opportunity to put forward its position in matters concerning the climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. Making a distinction between luxury and survival emissions7, Chinese diplomacy advocated that advanced industrialized countries 5 Economy Elizabeth, Chinas Environmental Diplomacy in China and the World edited by Samuel Kim Westview Press,1998

6 Lester Ross, China and Environmental Protection in China Joins the World edited by Elizabeth Economy and Michel Oksenberg

7 Kobayashi Yuka, Striking a course between luxury and survival emissionsChinese Climate Change Diplomacy in Global warming and East Asia: The Domestic and International Politics of Climate Change edited by Paul Harris, Routledge, 2003

historically responsible for the environmental degradation should be imposed to different more strict standards while developing countries should be permitted to pursuit their necessary economic development without being imposed to regulations that enforces limited emissions of GHG gasses. Developed countries, having accomplished their economic development, can afford to cut down their emissions or investing in environment friendly technology while developing countries have to satisfy the basic, survival needs of their people. In addition, Chinese diplomacy argued that the South should not be engaged in sustainable development procedures and policies unless the Northern industrialized countries finance any environmental incentives. China insisted in this line of arguments in all three Conferences of the Parties (COP) managing to gain international prestige among the developing world. The gain in prestige came with an economic price for China since COP3 China led the South coalition to rejection of FCCC mechanisms. But these mechanisms, mostly the Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) could be proved beneficial for China for providing her with desirable technology and new resources.8 The UNFCCCC is particularly important for China because the extended use of coal is the main source of carbon dioxide emissions. Chinese rapid economic development and the increasing demand for energy for both industrial and consuming reasons has also accelerated and increased the carbon dioxide emissions9. Given the fact that economic development being the primary goal for Chinese leadership, it could be argued that Chinese diplomacy is doing nothing but to serve its primary goal. And despite the criticism from the West that Chinas environmental policy is irresponsible10, it can be argued that the sustainable

Economy, Chinas environmental diplomacy, ibid

Vaclav Smil, ibid

10

Kobayashi Yuka,ibid

development itself is a problematic offering a prosperous ground for the Chinese diplomacy to hide behind the developing country status. In this sense Chinese diplomacy is pragmatic and rational by adapting sustainable development concept to its own goal. Furthermore, Chinese rhetoric blaming the North for the environmental degradation and asking from these industrialized countries to pay for their sustainment reveals its victimization syndrome dating back to the late Imperial period. Still, Chinese diplomacy has signed and ratified most of the environmental agreements and sets the example for the rest of the developing world. Chinese environmental policy has been very effective so far to keep its sovereignty without being forced to comply with international environmental rules that could be an obstacle to Chinas main goal, economic development. Moreover, its environmental diplomacy has managed to secure funding for environmental protection with 80 per cent of Chinas environmental protection budget deriving from abroad the sources of funding reveal the efficiency of Chinese diplomacy in both multilateral and bilateral level. World Bank, Global Environmental Facility, Asian Development Bank and United Nations Development Program have provided China with extensive financial support but also in bilateral level, especially with Japan that has made environmental assistance to China a priority. 11. Overall, it could be argued that Chinese environmental diplomacy within the United Nations environmental regime regarding the carbon dioxide emissions is quite effective and rational in achieving its goals: maintaining sovereignty, pursuing economic development, getting huge environmental funds and at the same time raising its voice against developed countries, maintain a leading image and role among the developing world. It is the result of a rational, well weighed environmental policy of adapting to the international rules and regimes and even sometimes shaping new trends and concepts tailored to its interests. But is this rationality enough as far as it concerns the environment itself? Rationality in International Affairs doesnt necessarily mean rationality regarding the long term consequences of 11 Elizabeth Economy, ibid

environmental degradation. Diplomacy, negotiations, economic development, learning and adapting have their own times and rules not necessarily compatible with the pace of environmental degradation; the way Nature responds to human activity. In this sense, while China is negotiating with the other actors of the international system, environmental degradation and specifically air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions are contributing to the deterioration of the quality of life of the Chinese and world population. The irrationality of the rationality of both Chinese environmental policy and the inadequate structure of the existing international system is the real source of the problem. BIBLIOGRAPHY

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