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The China Climate Change Partnership Framework
Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
Summary:
Since 1978, China has grown by around 9% per annum. It has lifted 400 million people out of poverty and become the world’s fourth largest economy. But it remains a developing country with GDP per capita of $1,740 and 135 million people still living on less than $1/day. And its unprecedented growth has led to it becoming one of the most environmentally stressed countries in the world. In particular, China will soon be the world’s top emitter of GHGs. Given stronger evidence provided by the UN Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change that human emission of greenhouse gases are causing climate change and that serious risks exist for the future of development, it is clear that continued emissions from China will have profound implications for human development the world over.
The Government of China attaches increasing importance to this problem. The 11th Five Year Plan (2006-2010) signals a shift in China’s vision from a focus on economic growth to a broader vision of a balanced ‘Xiaokang’ society, in which the needs of the economy are balanced with broader environmental and social needs. This included national targets to increase energy efficiency by 20% by 2010 and to increase use of renewable energy from 5% today to 10% by 2010. These targets are far from being achieved.
Operational policies and partnerships are now urgently needed if such targets are to be met. China’s ability to achieve such targets is not only a concern for China, but also for the world. The programme supports strategic analytical capacities to deal with such issues in line with global best practices. This will build on the UN’s strategic position as advisor to the Government on global climate change, including strong delivery capacities having approved over $500million of support to China since the 1992 UN Climate Change Convention came into force. By focusing on key strategic issues of added value to UN/donor efforts in China, the programme will serve as a catalyst for change, as seed money and a base for further mobilization of co-financing from the international community, the private sector and the Government of China itself, expected to be generated at a ratio of 2:1 to MDG-Fund contributions.
Significant gaps particularly exist in local implementation of such policies, with needs to pilot innovative market based approaches to investments in sustainable energy. The urgency of the situation and the increasing global call for action has resulted the realization that increasing GHG emissions not only impact global development but also the sustainability of China’s own hard won development gains. With per capita water availability already a quarter of the world's average, and with half the country already experiencing significant land degradation issues, it is now clear that future pressures could constrain the ability of China to sustain its laudable poverty reduction achievements and could well catalyze a reversal of progress in certain areas. This realization has signaled the need for urgent actions on both mitigation and adaptation, particularly for vulnerable poor communities.
A sign of the urgency being given to the issue is the launch on June 4, 2007 of China’s first-ever National Climate Change Strategy, outlining concrete actions to reduce the carbon intensity of China’s future growth. It focuses on intensity based energy use targets in anticipation of the post-Kyoto regime, adoption of innovative technologies in coal power generation, coordination of climate change and energy policies through comprehensive energy legislation, increased efforts to achieve efficiency and renewable energy targets at local levels, and mainstreaming adaptation in future development and investment programmes.
_Source: The China Climate Change Partnership Framework, Concept Note, June 2007._
Project Components:
Climate change presents a challenge to global achievement of MDGs and sustaining hard won gains of developing countries. Given implications for development, climate change mitigation and adaptation have become a primary challenge and the ability of the world to avoid future crises rests on the ability of China to take targeted actions to mitigate climate change. This programme implements the new National Strategy through national policy/legal measures and improved local capacities and partnerships for financing and technology. It aims to ensure that vulnerable communities– including the world’s biggest rural population – can adapt to climate impacts.
Expected Outputs:
The programme seeks to deliver a shift in climate change policies in China, in both public and private sectors, and to develop innovative models and pilot projects requested by our Chinese partners with a view to scaling-up in the future. Through the resulting national policies and local models, climate risks will increasingly be mainstreamed into development, and adaptation actions will be commenced in priority provinces and sectors.
There are three key outcomes under the programme:
**1)** Mainstreaming climate change mitigation and adaptation into national and sub-national policies, planning and investment frameworks.
1.1. Improved policies and partnerships at national level to mainstream climate change mitigation and adaptation into policy frameworks.
1.2. UN-business partnerships and new ‘green’ financing mechanisms to mainstream climate change and energy into investment frameworks and business practices.
**2)** Innovative partnerships and technologies to increase local access to sustainable energy.
2.1. Innovative models at local level for energy efficiency.
2.2. Innovative models at local level for renewable energy and clean coal.
**3)** Accelerated action by China on climate change adaptation.
3.1. Climate proofing of poverty reduction programmes in less developed areas of Western China.
3.2. Policies and capacities developed to manage environmental health issues from climate change.
3.3. Capacities enhanced and policies developed for understanding and adapting to impacts of water supply changes on China’s environment and development.
3.4. Enhanced strategies for climate proofed and environmentally sound agricultural production.
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Contacts:
Edward Clarence-Smith
E.Clarence-Smith@unido.org
Khalid Malik
khalid.malik@undp.org
Steven Sabey
steven.sabey@undp.org
