Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in China: Growth, Transition, and Institutional Change

摘要: Global energy markets and climate change in the twenty first century depend, to an extraordinary extent, on China. China is now, or will soon be, world's largest consumer. Since 2007, has been emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Despite its large rapidly expanding influence global atmosphere, a per capita basis consumption GHG emissions are low relative developed countries. The Chinese economy, with it use emissions, expected grow vigorously for at least next two decades, raising question critical historical significance: How can China's economic growth imperative be meaningfully reconciled goals greater security lower carbon economy?Most scholars, governments, practitioners have looked technology -- efficiency, nuclear power, capture storage answers this question. Alternatively, study seeks root future trajectory political economy multiple transitions, from centrally planned market agrarian post-industrial society. draws five case studies, each dedicated chapter, which organized around three perspectives emissions: macroeconomy; electricity supply demand; nitrogen fertilizer production use.Chapters 2 3 examine how structural macroeconomy shaped demand, finding that most dramatic country's over 2000s was driven by acceleration investment-dominated, energy-intensive model, rather than change. Chapters 4 5 efforts improve efficiency increase share renewable generation electric power sector, concluding system lacks flexibility generation, pricing, demand support further improvements scale up acceptable level cost reliability. Chapter 6 examines use, arguing high other countries because small medium-sized enterprises using domestic technology; continued provision subsidies producers; lack well-functioning agricultural extension system.The studies illustrate limits policy without institutional reform. leaders historically relied defer difficult changes accompany social transition. However, many challenges require decisions reallocate resources among stakeholders. For instance, restructuring away heavy industrial investment toward higher GDP financial sector reforms, such as interest rate liberalization dividend payments state-owned enterprises, income households. Increasing price reforms revenues costs generators, between generators grid companies, producers ratepayers, ratepayer classes, provinces. Strong public institutions needed make these changes, suggests trajectories determined, politics