Australian climate policy and the Asia Pacific partnership on clean development and climate (APP). From Howard to Rudd: continuity or change?

This article explains, first, why Australia’s government under John Howard, together with the United States Bush administration initiated the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP) and, second, why the succeeding Rudd government continued to support this initiative. Climate policy under the conservative Howard government (1995–2007) in Australia was largely dictated by fossil fuel and mineral sector interests, and reflected a close alliance with the Bush administration. The Howard government shunned the Kyoto Protocol, refused to set national binding greenhouse gas reduction targets and preferred voluntary cooperative measures with industry. The APP was part of the Howard government’s strategy to demonstrate some policy movement on climate change while postponing serious action. Climate change was a key issue in the election of the Rudd Labor government in Australia in December 2007. The Rudd government quickly ratified Kyoto, adopted emission reduction targets, and moved to introduce emissions trading. The Rudd government’s decision to continue involvement with the APP, albeit with diminished funding, was a pragmatic one. The APP was supported by industry and provided bridges to China and India—both key countries in the post-2012 UNFCCC negotiations. Finally, in order to assess the long-term outlook of the APP, the article provides a preliminary assessment as to whether the APP advances technology transfer.

气候保护和环境正义——气候保护的国际法律框架和发展中国家的参与模式

气候保护国际法律框架的公正性是发展中国家积极参与国际气候保护合作的一个重要前提条件。"人均平等排放权"原则作为分配减排义务的原则在法律上符合正义原则。这一原则应作为评价发展中国家在未来的气候保护法律框架中应承担的义务模式的标准。     

气候变化的国际法之秩序价值初探

价值理念贯穿于法律运行的整个过程 ,并对法律运行起着相应的指导作用。气候变化的国际立法活动 ,也必然受到相关价值理念的指导。在气候变化问题日益严峻的挑战面前 ,气候变化的国际法应当执著地追求秩序价值。而要真正实现秩序价值 ,就必须及早将气候变化的国际法所向往和追求的秩序价值外化为具体的、有效的应对气候变化问题的措施、手段和行动     

How Can the European Union Contribute to a COP-6 Agreement? An Overview for Policy Makers

During the 6th Conference of Parties (COP-6) in The Hague, the Netherlands, November 2000, crucial progress on a number of outstanding issues related to the Kyoto Protocol will have to be made to open the way for its early ratification, if not to save it from complete failure. Given the present lack of internal US political support for the Kyoto Protocol, the EU may play a pivotal role in making the Kyoto Protocol agreement a reality even without initial ratification of the US, if its able to provide sufficient leadership. In this overview article we discuss the main issues under negotiation, the problems of finding agreement and opportunities for the EU to catalyse a compromise agreement at COP-6, building on key scientific papers as included in this issue and discussions at the European Forum on Integrated Environmental Assessment Climate Policy Workshop in Amsterdam. Key elements are the inclusion of sinks, the use of the Kyoto Protocol mechanisms as a supplement to domestic action and the international compliance system. Domestic implementation of climate policy is a major factor for the EU's credibility.     

气候变化与美国国家安全:美国官方的认知及其影响

气候变化的影响超越它本身所带来的直接环境后果,对美国国家安全提出新挑战。美国官方对这一问题的认知从形成到发展,大体经历了酝酿、萌芽和完善阶段。促成美国对该问题的战略认知与政策实践的原因复杂,涉及国际社会的政治议程、美国国内的科学议程以及国会的影响等因素。当前,美国的安全体系不仅正视气候变化对美国国家安全产生的威胁,而且已经开始制定战略性方针不断将气候变化因素纳入该体系的战略规划和日常实践。在国际层面,美国已经开始谋求与其他国家就气候变化影响国家安全与国际安全的问题达成共识甚至采取行动。本质上,这是美国在全球气候谈判博弈中增加筹码的一个重要抓手,希望以此来影响和主导全球减缓气候变化行动。预计未来美国应对气候变化安全后果的政策走势趋强,将对美国气候政策、对外关系乃至国际格局产生重要影响,同时将给中国特别是中国与发展中国家的合作关系带来挑战。     

浙江争创应对气候变化“重要窗口”的机遇与路径

气候变化是人类社会面临的严峻挑战。在共同应对气候变化的国际共识业已形成,中国日渐成为全球气候治理引领者的大背景下,应对气候变化理应成为浙江建设“重要窗口”的核心组成部分。为此,浙江必须持续推进产业、能源和运输等领域的结构性减排,实现高质量碳达峰;采取超常规措施挖掘自然碳汇和人工碳汇潜力,尽早谋划碳中和实现路径;完善碳排放权和碳汇交易机制;建立健全气候治理的领导机制、市场机制和社会机制,为争创应对气候变化“重要窗口”提供制度保障。     

2030年可持续发展议程下“人的安全”及其治理

2030年可持续发展议程作为一项新的全球发展计划,其目标是构建免于恐惧和暴力的和平、公正、包容的社会,其核心是消除全球贫困与促进包容性发展,包括消除贫困、饥饿以及应对气候变化等内容。该议程的主体内容体现了联合国所倡导的“人的安全”理念,这一理念强调各种威胁的相互关联性,人的安全和人的发展是同一事物相辅相成的,这种治理观要求广泛借助联合国系统,并且顾及地方、国家、区域和国际范围内各级公私部门行为体的特点和资源,拓展一种由各种利益攸关方组成的综合框架,其内容涉及粮食安全、气候安全、环境安全、社会安全、反恐、移民等重要的传统与非传统安全议题。其中,气候变化、资源消耗、南北差距等问题是可持续发展难以实现的重要动因。上述安全议程同时体现了各种广泛的经济、社会和环境关联性。因此,建构全球“人的安全”治理机制需以联合国为核心,并形成多层治理、建构广泛的国际伙伴关系,以实现联合国所倡议的全球可持续和平愿景。     

A mission-driven research program on solar geoengineering could promote justice and legitimacy

ABSTRACT

Over the past decade or so, several commentators have called for mission-driven research programs on solar geoengineering, also known as solar radiation management (SRM) or climate engineering. Building on the largely epistemic reasons offered by earlier commentators, this paper argues that a well-designed mission-driven research program that aims to evaluate solar geoengineering could promote justice and legitimacy, among other valuable ends. Specifically, an international, mission-driven research program that aims to produce knowledge to enable well-informed decision-making about solar geoengineering could (1) provide a more effective way to identify and answer the questions that policymakers would need to answer; and (2) provide a venue for more efficient, effective, just, and legitimate governance of solar geoengineering research; while (3) reducing the tendency for solar geoengineering research to exacerbate international domination. Thus, despite some risks and limitations, a well-designed mission-driven research program offers one way to improve the governance of solar geoengineering research relative to the ‘investigator-driven’ status quo.     

论气候变化对妇女的影响及应对

当气候变化越来越受到公众关注的时候,人们不应该忽略这个在气候变化中受到重大影响的弱势群体——妇女,尤其是不发达地区的妇女。气候变化导致自然灾害愈发频繁和严重,食物和水资源短缺,气候难民增多,对健康构成更多威胁。而女性的生理特点和分工特点,以及已有的男女不平等现实,致使女性在其间承受比男性更多更严峻的考验。因此,有必要在当今气候变化的背景下,高度重视妇女问题。我们需要以妇女为中心来研究气候变化,提出应对策略,致力于阻止气候变化可能带来的严重后果,适应气候变化对我们的影响,促进社会的平等、健康发展。     

The Politics of Climate Policy: Strategic Options for National Governments

This article summarises the results so far of an international investigation aimed at identifying political strategies that make it easier for national governments to take more effective action against climate change while avoiding significant political damage. The numerous strategic options identified included strategies involving unilateral action by governments, strategies of persuasion, damage limitation strategies, strategies that can be used in political exchange with other political actors, and strategies designed to improve the bargaining position of governments by altering the terms of political exchange. The article concludes with a shortlist of especially promising strategies.