In a recent segment of CGTN's "Talking China" debate show, experts applauded China's balanced approach to tackling climate change while fostering economic growth. The discussion highlighted how global production, rather than domestic consumption, affects the attribution of carbon emissions.
Wang Wen, dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, emphasized that although China produces about 30 percent of the world's industrial products, the resulting carbon emissions are often misattributed. He noted that China's per capita emissions are only half of those in the United States, a fact that calls for a more nuanced understanding of global emission responsibilities.
Wang also criticized the decision under the Trump administration to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, arguing that such moves undermine global climate initiatives. Echoing these views, Li Cheng, founding director of the Center on Contemporary China and the World at the University of Hong Kong, labeled dismissive remarks about climate change as "extremely dangerous." He stressed that the Chinese mainland's policies—focusing on new energy development and the promotion of electric vehicles—demonstrate that economic progress and environmental sustainability can indeed coexist.
The debate underscores a growing recognition among experts that tackling climate change requires understanding the complex interplay of production and consumption. This balanced perspective is seen as a model for integrating growth with environmental protection for policymakers and industry leaders worldwide.
