[Why&Next] Why China Wants to Become a 'Climate Response Leader'

Second Trump Administration Retreats from Climate and Environmental Policies
China Stresses "International Cooperation" to Set Itself Apart
Concerns Rise Over China Becoming a "Responsible Power Without Commitments"

Yonhap News

China is aiming to become the new leader in climate response. This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has shown signs of retreating from global climate negotiations. Seizing this opportunity, China is emphasizing international cooperation to overcome the climate crisis and strengthening its eco-friendly policies. This is interpreted as a strategy to secure global leadership by leveraging climate change response and to promote the revitalization of its domestic environmental industry.

China's Changed Attitude After Trump's Election

China's eco-friendly stance subtly shifted after it became likely that Donald Trump would be elected U.S. president in November last year. A representative example is the international plastic negotiations that began in 2022. The main issue in the agreement was the regulation of 'production reduction.' China, as a major plastic producer, had opposed the discussion itself, but at the last meeting held in Busan in November last year, it suddenly agreed to proceed with the negotiations. The change in China's attitude following the election of the climate-skeptical President Trump drew the attention of the negotiating countries.

A similar shift was observed at the 29th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP29) held the same month. At the meeting, China announced that it had provided $24 billion in funding for climate action to developing countries since 2016. This was the first time China had disclosed climate-related funding in such detail. According to the BBC, a senior negotiator participating in COP29 said, “(China's) negotiation style was markedly different from previous years,” and explained, “China was unusually cooperative in all discussions.”

China is also taking the lead in calling for international cooperation. In November last year, China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment released a report titled “China's Policies and Actions for Climate Change Response,” stating, “Some countries are forming small alliances and implementing unilateral protective measures under the pretext of climate change,” and pointed out that “all countries should be encouraged to withdraw such unilateral measures, especially improving climate protectionist measures implemented by the U.S. and Europe.”

Cooperation with underdeveloped countries under the banner of climate is also rapidly increasing. China is classified as a developing country, not an advanced country, in climate negotiations and thus has no obligation to bear financial burdens. However, through its own agreements, China has signed 52 climate cooperation treaties with 42 developing countries and conducted over 300 environmental capacity-building trainings for 10,000 people in 120 developing countries. In Africa, it has established the “Africa Solar Belt” program to solve electricity issues for 50,000 households, and in the Pacific, it operates the “Climate Change Response Cooperation Center” to prevent marine disasters.

Is the Real Intention to Revive Domestic Eco-friendly Industries?

China's carbon reduction targets and energy policies have been strengthening every year. According to an announcement by the State Council of China in June last year, China set a goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 260 million tons by this year. The plan even includes a bold measure to control production in the industrial sector to achieve this goal. The share of renewable energy use is planned to increase from the current 30% to 55% by 2035, and further to 80% by 2050. Through this, China’s strategy is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70% by 2050.

China's eco-friendly strategy has become more sophisticated compared to the first Trump administration. When the Trump administration withdrew from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change on November 4, 2020, China immediately expressed concern and pledged to strengthen international cooperation. It also gained international support by announcing its carbon neutrality goal for 2060. However, there were criticisms that China lacked bold target setting and did not provide substantial funding. This time, China is providing practical funds to developing countries and has raised its own carbon neutrality target.

This eco-friendly approach by China is closely linked to its domestic industries. It helps activate industries such as electric vehicles and solar power in response to green protectionism by the U.S. and Europe. According to the China Environmental Development International Cooperation Committee, China's low-carbon technology exports were only $800 million in 1992. However, supported by China's eco-friendly stance, related exports surged to $257 billion in 2022. Market share also expanded from 1.1% to 22.8%.

There are also concerns about China leading the international community on environmental issues. China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and there is a risk that it may create an image of being at the forefront of eco-friendliness. Belinda Schaffer of the Energy and Clean Air Research Center (CREA), a Finnish NGO, told SCMP, “If the U.S. abandons the global climate agenda, China will comfortably position itself as a responsible global power without making any new commitments.”