Forum IV: China and Europe: Partners in a New Global Energy Economy?
Welches sind die gemeinsamen Interessen hinsichtlich der Klima- und Energiesicherheit? Welche Kooperationsmöglichkeiten eröffnen sich für beide Länder?
Raum: A 2/3
Language:
English only, no simultaneous interpretation available
nur in englischer Sprache, keine Simultanübersetzung verfügbar
While economists have been worrying about the health of Western economies, China has become
the fourth-largest economy in the world, overtaking the UK and France. And as expected,
China is continuing to grow at a rate of over 8%. The question of how the world could cope with a
slow down of the US economy has started to be replaced by the question of how the world can
cope with China’s growth and her insatiable appetite for resources.
Energy prices have hit a record high and CO2 emissions have dramatically increased making current climate policy inadequate and naïve. More than ever, the issue of energy security has become top priority for governments around the world. At the same time growing concerns are being raised about the impact of economic growth on the environment and the climate of the planet. The impacts of climate change could become extremely damaging and costly if current economies continue to be fuelled by traditional energy sources. Furthermore, due to skyrocketing energy prices, the cost of development increases with damaging consequences (not only) for developing countries and poor communities. Those will find it more and more difficult to implement adaptive measures to minimize negative impacts of climate change.
Under these circumstances, Europe and China’s common interests in energy security, stable energy prices, stable growth and development and climate security may open the way for a strong cooperation in the field of energy and climate security. This cooperation may lead the way towards a sustainable transition. Reshaping the built environment, the transport system, the power production, etc. in a way that improves both the energy security and the climate security of Europe and China is feasible. Pooling the learning by doing of the world’s largest marketplace, Europe, and the world’s fastest growing marketplace, China, can stimulate the relevant financial markets to allocate the capital needed for achieving strategic goals. The Forum will address and discuss the options for China and Europe to pursue a parallel strategy for energy and climate security.
- Dr. Pan Jiahua, Geschäftsführer, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing
- Ye Weijia, Programme Director, Fuping Development Institute, China
- Dr. Xianli Zhu, UNEP RISØ Centre (URC), RISØ National Centre, China
- Claude Turmes, Member of European Parliament, EFA, The Greens
- Dr. Karsten Sach, Leiter Unterabt. Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Ministry of Environment, Nature and Nuclear Safety, Germany
- Jennifer Morgan, Director Climate Security, E3G
Moderation:
- Antonella Battaglini, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany