Superseding Sovereignty: Bilateral Cooperation on Emissions & the LIEO

Although a relatively small conservative bastion in the United States refutes climate change, the majority of the developed world has come to terms with the crippling strain that industrial development has placed on the world’s environment. Within the global economic order, two “super polluters” lay claim to the majority of the world’s pollution: China and the US. Following the environmental movements of the 1970’s and more recent ‘green’ push, the collective American conscious has become aware of this distinction, yet China is a relative newcomer to this group. Only in 2007 did China become the world’s largest contributor of greenhouse emissions and until recently, China seemed indifferent to its catastrophic effects on the climate and environment, citing the many more decades that already developed nations have had since the beginning of their Industrial Revolutions to build their nation’s economy without concern for the environment. Countries in the process of developing –China argues, deserve at least a similar amount of time to catch up. On November 12, 2014 this view was at least partially reversed, as the United States and China signed a revolutionary climate deal that would aim to substantially cut each nation’s contribution of fossil fuel emissions throughout the next three decades.

China is known more for it’s progressive and consistent economic growth than its regard for human rights and with its increase in GDP also comes a measure of environmental degradation. The public health and the well-being of Chinese citizens have been put at stake due to moderate consideration for human rights and a clean environment. Now–because of air pollution and the extensive contamination of navigable and groundwater alike–the safety of Chinese citizens has been put in serious jeopardy. Life expectancy in China has decreased and so has the value of the land. These effects are starting to take their toll on China’s economic growth however, as this decline in health and destruction of natural capital has cost the country roughly 9 percent of its annual gross national income.

Together the United States and China are responsible for 40% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The recent reduction agreement signed by both US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping came as a great shock due to the fact that although not far reaching, this act sets a standard for future cooperation between their two nations and other developing countries. Specifically, the agreement “states that the US would reduce its emissions by 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels, by 2025.”  Likewise, “China has agreed not only to cap emissions by 2030, but to produce 20 percent of its energy using non-fossil fuels by the same year.”

The agreement between the US and China does not mean that China will be reducing its current emissions in the same way that the US is. China has instead agreed to not exceed its projected peak amounts of emissions by 2030. Although taking global action on the environment and working to lower emissions seems initially out of line with the PRC’s longstanding goal of increased economic prosperity, these reforms are seen to be beneficial to China’s economy. The primary impact will be in the promotion of alternative energy sources by increasing the price of carbon emission. Certainly, the transition won’t be easy. What is being called for is no less than the complete transition of what has been primarily for the last century a carbon based economy. As with all major economic reorderings, there will be winners–firms on the cutting edge of defossilization–and losers–primarily oil producing states and the now petroleum dominated energy sector. 

What is not so clear is how each country plans to implement such drastic cuts in emissions. As one might imagine, such a lofty goal is easier said than done. In the US, this will most certainly require some Congressional action as well as sweeping action by the President. Given this month’s elections, it is doubtful whether a Republican controlled congress will have much interest in the legislation necessary to achieve this feat. As for China, the state will have to take considerable action in divesting the emissions-heavy sectors of their economy as well as abating their large population’s newfound taste for consumer goods. China’s authoritarian government will no doubt have better luck in implementing these reforms than America’s currently divisive political regime.

This monumental climate agreement bridges a fundamental ideological divide between China’s centrally planned economy and America’s professed liberal policies. The aim of such a pact flies right in the face of the many neoliberal ideals which have long reigned supreme in the liberal international economic order. Diplomatically, it demonstrates a far reaching and audacious intervention by the state into the affairs of the economy. The deal also illustrates our contemporary ideas of sovereignty and how it is sometimes superseded by these global concerns. Earth can take a lot of abuse and has the ability to recover itself through geological processes but does so at a much slower rate than what humans are currently dishing out.   

#ChinaInTheWorld

Miles Bierylo, Corey Norell, Luca Difronzo, Sophie DeSantis, Kevin H., & Imani S.

Works Cited

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Paquette, D. (2014, November 12). The U.S. and China just agreed to a historic climate deal. Here’s how it could affect you. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2014/11/12/how-will-the-energy-agreement-with-china-affect-you/

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