Identification of national priority areas for adaptation to climate change in China

The problem of global warming has been identified as the first in the list of the top ten environmental problems in the world. As climate change will seriously affect the social and natural world that people live in, so it may lay serious repercussions on economic progress, social improvement, and sustainable development. International bodies everywhere and many of the countries＇ governments are responding urgently to this call In recent years, climate change has affected different regions in China in different ways. In its national agenda, the Chinese government should address the problem of climate change and its negative impact on socio-economic development. In this endeavor the nation should introduce policies which will help its people and economy to adapt to these effects and changes. Priority-fields of adaptation to climate change are the sensitive areas or departments which are more vulnerable to the negative influences of climate change. The negative impacts of climate change in some parts of China are considered to be very serious indeed as they affect the whole economy and community. As a result, priority should be given to these more affected regions for the limited state financing. This paper defines adaptation and discusses the basic principles and programs in the identi.fication of national priority areas where adaptation should be exercised. Based on the past studies, four priority areas in China are identified, namely, disaster prevention and mitigation, water resources, agriculture, and ecosystem. An analysis on the identification procedures, and the reasons and tasks involved are given for each.     

On the Theory of Harmonious Co-existence between Man and Nature by Marx and Engels

Marx and Engles believed that man and nature develop harmoniously, when the activities of man constitute the content of nature, which is changed constantly because of the activities of man. Marx and Engles also pointed out the duarity of the conquest, change and influence exerted on nature by man. On one hand, it can improve people‘s riving conditions and make people free from the enslavement of the nature. On the other hand,it may also lead to excessively snatching and wrecking nature, then make the deterioration of the environment and ecology out of balance. They also, from the technical angle of ecology, put forward the concrete measures to realize the harmonious symbiosis of man and nature in the development of economy. They also believed that only when socialism or communism is realized, can the conciliation of mankind and nature be realized finally.Marx and Engle‘s theory of harmonious symbiosis of man and nature is of great theoretical directive significance for us to insist on the scientific development view.     

Vulnerability assessment of water resources to climate change in Chinese cities

Climate change is an inevitable trend,which challenges security of water resources in China,especially in cities.Assessing vulnerability of water resource to climate change in cities has important role for policy makers. The paper constructs a vulnerability function,including exposure,sensitivity and adaptive capacity,according to the vulnerability concept proposed by IPCC,establishes an assessment indicators system of water resources to climate change in cities,and analyzes vulnerability features of Chinese cites based on 655 cities＇data in 2006.The vulnerability assessment results show that there are distinctive differences among all the cities,between east,central and west cities,between ordinary,big and mega cities,while there is no statistical significant difference between north and south cities.Based on the research,the paper suggests that strategic emphasis should focus on the central cities and ordinary cities     

The Impact of Climate Change on China＇s Grain Market and Food Security-- A CGE Model Approach

This paper examines the impact of climate change on China＇s grain production and food security. The research is one of the four studies on future conditions of China＇s food production system under the influence of climate change using numerical simulation methods, carried out under a national 973 project entitled ＂impacts of climate change on food systems in China and its adaptation＂. The other three studies focus on changes in cultivated land area and food production, while this study incorporates their grain yield results into a general equilibrium model to simulate future conditions of the grain market. Our simulation analysis arrives at the impact of climate change by comparing such economic variables as grain production, consumption, and GDP growth rate between a baseline scenario and two climate change scenarios. Our results are summarized as follows： （1） In 2050, the total grain production will reach 689.683 million tons--584.264 million tons of total grain consumption and 42.808 million tons of exports. Without considering losses and inventory demand, in 2050 China＇s grain supply and demand will remain well balanced, with a slight surplus expected. （2） Climate change is expected to benefit China＇s macro economy and individual sectors. In comparison with the baseline scenario of no climate change, real wage, real GDP, investment, household consumption, exports, and other macroeconomic indicators will rise under the climate change scenarios. As far as the agricultural, manufacturing, and service sectors are concerned, production, consumption, imports, and exports will each be favorably affected by climate change. （3） The favorable impact of climate change on China＇s macroeconomy and individual sectors under the high emissions scenario （A2） is stronger than that under the low emissions scenario （B2）. （4） In the grain market, climate change is expected to increase supply, reduce imports, increase supply, and demand; and supply will increase more than demand does. All in     

Status and prospect of the Chinese trading scheme for carbon credits

Given the arduous progress in the international talk on climate change mitigation,there is still uncertainty in the continuation of the Clean Development Mechanism(CDM) after 2012.However,a number of countries have regarded market mechanisms as an important approach towards climate change.China’s 12 th Five-year Plan on National Economic and Social Development clearly states that China will set up and improve the system for statistical accounting of greenhouse gas emission and will gradually establish an emission trading scheme.It is expected that in the following couple of years China will develop its own policies on carbon trading and gradually establish its domestic emission trading market.The construction of China carbon market is to be promoted in a voluntary-to-mandatory and regional-to-national manner.China will firstly standardize and promote the trading of voluntary emission reductions,and will then encourage pilot provinces and cities as well as some key industries to implement a policy on emission allowance trading while at the same time facilitating the construction of infrastructural facilities for carbon market operation including climate change legislation and setting up a system for the measurement and verification of carbon emissions.China will also carry out international or bilateral cooperation with foreign carbon trading schemes based on the progress of international negotiation so as to set up a unified domestic carbon market that is linked to international carbon trading schemes.     

Cooling China： The Weather Dependence of Air Conditioner Adoption

One of the major adaptation mechanisms to climate change is increased demand for cooling via the air conditioning of indoor environments. China＇s demand for air conditioners has displayed explosive growth since 1995. This paper provides estimates of the income and short run weather sensitivity of air conditioner adoption across urban areas for 29 Chinese provincial entities. We show that the adoption decision displays significant income and weather sensitivity in the short run, with adoption being higher the year following a hot summer.     

Reforms on China＇s Fiscal System and Its Impact on Local Government Behavior

The fiscal system is an important part of national economic management and deals with the division of financial responsibility and power, regulates and defines the fiscal activities among different levels of governments. The changes in economic system and economic structure decide the changes of fiscal function and fiscal structure, which results in the changes in intergovernmental distribution form and local government behavior. This paper takes a look at the stages of China＇s fiscal reform process and the impacts on local government behavior, and tries to find measures for perfecting the fiscal system reform to optimize local government behavior and guarantee a healthy national economy.     

Regulatory mode selection and legal governance of China's response to climate change risk

The regulation of climate change risk is an important measure for China to achieve the goal of "carbon neutrality and carbon peak".Although China has built a legal regulation system for environmental risk at the macro level,and normative and functionalism have constructed different paths for regulating climate change risk,it is necessary to analysis the two paths at the micro level,in order to examine its adaptability to climate change risk.The normative mode of climate change risk regulation em...     

Environment investment： transition from end-investment to multi-investment

Environmental investment must change its direction from end-investment to multi-investment, such as ecological construction, recycling economy and environmental protection. Only it can meet the needs of breaking the bottleneck of resources and environment for Chinese sustainable development. And the transition can hero us realize low-ost and highspeedy increasing of economy, as well as the construction of ecological health, beautiful environment economic development and harmonious new society. Material recycling in ecosystem can run well by self-organization and self-regulation by nature with low-cost and even non-cost. So, the environmental investment in ecological construction should be the profits maximum investment. But it needs country＇s support in financial policy on ecological or environmental compensation. Recycling economy is a brand-new pattern of economic growth, which formed gradually in the course of mankind exploring and practicing sustainable development. Fountainhead prevention, reducing and whole processing control are its significant characteristics, which are digerent from any former economic and environmental protection system. Investing in technology development and relevant industry of recycling economy should be the other major field of environment investment in China in the future.     

Impacts of birdwatching tourism on environment and economy

Birdwatching tourism can be a good model for nature conservation and economic development if it is managed with the well-being of local ecosystems and human communities. Birdwatchers can bring financial sources to local nature conservation. Many communities and local leaders consider birdwatching as a significant mean to develop local economics and publicize regional image, but only few research have tried to study the impacts of relevant activities on destinations. The purpose of the paper is to give a comprehensive review on impacts of birdwatching from conservation economics and biology perspective. Use a behavioral approach study impacts of birdwatching tourism on environment and economy. Specific objectives here are： （1） review the value and significance on environment and economy; （2） economic potential of non-residential birdwatching for community-based conservations; （3） using a behavioral approach, combine quantitative and qualitative methods study birdwatching impacts; （4） outline the economic and environmental benefits and problems associated with the activity; and （5） aid community leaders and tourism business related company in their efforts to improving the value of birdwatching; help the leaders of natural reserve areas develop birdwatching tourism.     

中国适应气候变化的科技政策变迁与展望

适应气候变化的科技政策是该领域科技活动的重要保障。以2007—2020年期间212份适应气候变化的中央科技政策文件作为分析样本,采用共词和聚类方法,分析不同时期适应性科技政策主题聚焦点演进和变化。研究结果显示,“技术研发”“技术成果应用推广”“资金保障”“监测应急能力发展规划”“水利科技发展支持”等主题发生了明显的政策逻辑变迁。整体来看,适应性科技政策呈现密切结合国家气候适应战略演进而深化发展的特点,未来中国适应气候变化的科技政策应进一步引导适应技术科研方向,助力气候适应科技成果转化,提供财政、信息等资源支持。     

低碳农业发展核心目标:减缓和适应气候变化

减缓和适应是人类应对气候变化行动中两种相辅相成的措施。中国农业在应对气候变化中,减缓和适应同等重要:一方面,农业在减缓气候变化中具有独特的作用;另一方面,农业适应气候变化比减缓气候变化更为现实的迫切。积极发展低碳现代农业实现减排增汇,中国农业生态系统可以作为一种非常重要的固碳增汇措施,纳入全球CO2减排措施中去。中国低碳农业在减缓和适应气候变化中具有巨大潜力。     

Combining analytical frameworks to assess livelihood vulnerability to climate change and analyse adaptation options

Experts working on behalf of international development organisations need better tools to assist land managers in developing countries maintain their livelihoods, as climate change puts pressure on the ecosystem services that they depend upon. However, current understanding of livelihood vulnerability to climate change is based on a fractured and disparate set of theories and methods. This review therefore combines theoretical insights from sustainable livelihoods analysis with other analytical frameworks (including the ecosystem services framework, diffusion theory, social learning, adaptive management and transitions management) to assess the vulnerability of rural livelihoods to climate change. This integrated analytical framework helps diagnose vulnerability to climate change, whilst identifying and comparing adaptation options that could reduce vulnerability, following four broad steps: i) determine likely level of exposure to climate change, and how climate change might interact with existing stresses and other future drivers of change; ii) determine the sensitivity of stocks of capital assets and flows of ecosystem services to climate change; iii) identify factors influencing decisions to develop and/or adopt different adaptation strategies, based on innovation or the use/substitution of existing assets; and iv) identify and evaluate potential trade-offs between adaptation options. The paper concludes by identifying interdisciplinary research needs for assessing the vulnerability of livelihoods to climate change.     

气候变化对德国农业的影响与相关对策

本文分析和研究了气候变化对德国农业和林业的正反两方面的影响,肯定了德国农业和林业对气候保护、减少温室气体排放的积极作用。阐述了德国为减少温室气体排放采取的相应措施,如改进传统农业,扩大现代农业,大力生产可再生长原料,促进可再生能源的利用。这些做法对我国发展现代农业,促进农业和林业领域节能减排具有积极的参考作用。     

气候变化对湖南省农业水旱灾害的影响研究方法探讨

随着全球气候变化的不断加剧,区域气温、降水、辐射等都发生了重大变化,其对农业发展也具有重要影响,研究气候变化对湖南农业水旱灾害的影响及适应性对策有利于减小灾害性天气及气候系统对湖南省农业的影响,适时找出适合湖南区域特点的应对措施,并进一步完善当前全球气候变化对农作物生长研究的不足。基于英国哈德莱气候中心的区域气候模式PRECIS系统的区域尺度气候情景模拟结果,借助于GIS技术运用EPIC和SWAT模型分别模拟未来不同气候情景下湖南水稻产量和水资源的变化,通过对过去50年气候变化及其对水稻模拟产量的影响研究,可以总结湖南省应对气候变化引发的水旱灾害的策略和方法,并进一步提出未来气候变化情景下的适应性对策,可以为政府和相关决策部门应对未来水旱灾害的适应性对策提供参考依据。     

Climate change and economic growth: An intertemporal general equilibrium analysis for Egypt

This study advances the state of the art in country-level computable general equilibrium analysis for climate change impact and adaptation analysis by incorporating forward-looking expectations. The analytic framework is used to explore the long-run growth prospects for Egypt in a changing climate. Based on a review of existing estimates of climate change impacts on agricultural productivity, labour productivity and the potential losses due to sea-level rise for the country, the model is used to simulate the effects of climate change on aggregate consumption, investment and income up to 2050. Available cost estimates for adaptation investments are employed to explore adaptation strategies.The simulation analysis suggests that in the absence of policy-led adaptation investments, real GDP towards the middle of the century will be 6.5% lower than in a hypothetical baseline without climate change. A combination of adaptation measures, that include coastal protection investments for vulnerable sections along the low-lying Nile delta, support for changes in crop management practices and investments to raise irrigation efficiency, could reduce the GDP loss in 2050 to around 2.6%.Further work along these lines for developing countries in climate change hotspot regions deserves a high priority on the research agenda in economic modelling.     

Exchanging Goods and Damages: The Role of Trade on the Distribution of Climate Change Costs

The impacts of climate change vary significantly across world regions. Whereas tropical and subtropical regions are expected to suffer severely from the effects of climate change, the impacts in northern latitudes should remain relatively moderate. However, regions are not self-sufficient, and the costs of climate change can spread across regions through international trade. I study the international spillover of climate impacts within a regionalised, climate-sensitive, dynamic computable general equilibrium model of the world economy. Using data from a global climate model shows that the world regions face welfare losses between 0.6 and 2.1 % due to climate change. I also show that climate change affects terms of trade and sectoral competitiveness. By means of a decomposition method, the extent of spillover impacts through international trade can be identified. Spillover impacts significantly affect, either positively or negatively, the total costs of climate change for a region. For regions with low exposure to climate change and high adaptive capacities, spillover effects are responsible for a 1/6 of the total cost of climate change.     

Royal Dutch/Shell

Climate change will affect security of individuals and populations as well as the security of states. The article reviews evidence on the scope and nature of the climate change challenge; reviews how these impacts manifest themselves in insecurity at diverse scales; and examines evidence on the political economy of adaptation responses to these impacts. I argue that climate security has been framed in public and policy debate over climate change such that climate change impacts are a threat to nation states in terms of their interests, their economies and their borders. This framing crowds out, subverts and constrains framing in terms of human-well being. I suggest that human security provides a broader and more encompassing notion of climate security than that focussed on security of states. Here, climate security focuses on the idea of freedom from harm and fear of individuals and communities and the capability to adapt to any imposed harm. From that human security perspective, the central analytical issues become those of vulnerability, adaptation and justice.     

Climate change as a threat to biodiversity: An application of the DPSIR approach

Climate change and its consequences present one of the most important threats to biodiversity and the functions of ecosystems. The stress on biodiversity is far beyond the levels imposed by the natural global climatic changes occurring in the recent evolutionary past. It includes temperature increases, shifts of climate zones, melting of snow and ice, sea level rise, droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events. Natural systems are vulnerable to such changes due to their limited adaptive capacity. Based on an analysis using the DPSIR framework, this paper discusses some of the important socio-economic driving forces of climate change, with a focus on energy use and transportation. The paper also analyses observed and potential changes of climate and the pressures they exert on biodiversity, the changes in biodiversity, the resulting impacts on ecosystem functions, and possible policy responses. The latter can be divided into mitigation and adaptation measures. Both strategies are needed, mitigation in order to stabilise the greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, and adaptation in order to adjust to changes that have already occurred or cannot be avoided. One mitigation option, increased biofuel production, which is also a response to oil depletion, would change land use patterns and increase human appropriation of net primary production of biomass, thereby threatening biodiversity. By considering the first order and second order impacts of climate change on biodiversity when developing policy measures, it will be possible to integrate ecosystem and biodiversity protection into decision-making processes.     

A general equilibrium assessment of climate change–induced loss of agricultural productivity in Nepal

The impact of climate change on agriculture has been one of the most discussed topics in the literature on climate change. Multi-regional computable general equilibrium (CGE) models have frequently been used to examine the impact of climate change on agriculture. However, these studies do not focus on country-specific issues related to the link between climate change and agriculture. This paper aims to address this gap by investigating the economy-wide impacts of climate change on Nepalese agriculture. Nepal makes an interesting case study as it has one of the most vulnerable agricultural economies in South Asia. This paper develops a comparative static multi-household CGE model to trace the direct and indirect impacts of climate change in Nepal. The results suggest that climate change has a significant negative impact on the overall Nepalese economy due to the induced loss of agricultural productivity. The results further reveal that rural households in Nepal, whose livelihoods primarily depend on subsistence farming, will face additional climate change–induced stresses due to already overstrained poverty and a weak social welfare system. The results indicate an urgent need to mainstream adaptation strategies to lessen the negative impacts of any climate change–induced loss of agricultural productivity in Nepal.