Institute of
Global Affairs
It is clear that if China’s marine economy is systemically decisive in its whole economic system, it will significantly contribute to the ocean’s already serious problems, particularly global ocean warming.
and active role in preventing global ocean warming is a must. Wu’s remarks show China’s leading marine scientists have realized the danger of global ocean warming. China’s paradox is that in a time of global climate change, it is untimely to be a leading maritime nation. How does China solve its contradiction between being a leader in global climate governance, and nationalist requests for an advanced marine economy? China needs to strike a balance between its maritime ambition and its international liberal commitment: towards a “Shared Marine Future”. Before the 2019 UN Climate Action in New York, China issued its “Position and Action” document in Beijing: “China has always attached great importance to addressing climate change. Upholding a national strategy of attaching equal importance to mitigation and adaptation, China has regarded addressing climate change as a great opportunity to achieve high-quality economic development and promote ecological progress.
This document highlights how China contributes to global climate governance by abiding by the UN climate rules, moving towards a “Shared Future”. It is not enough: China’s marine aspect of climate policy is lacking.
China will continue, as always, to firmly implement the Paris Agreement, fully honor its commitments, promote the establishment of an equitable, rational, and win-win global climate governance mechanism, and work with others to build a community with a shared future for mankind.” At the UN Climate Action Summit, China was a co-leader in advocating the “Nature Based Solutions” (NBS). This document highlights how China contributes to global climate governance by abiding by the UN climate rules, moving towards a “Shared Future”. It is not enough: China’s marine aspect of climate policy is lacking. In other words, China needs to make specific policies and practices in order to solve the conflict between the rapid development of a marine economy and the prevention of ocean climate change. This lies in forging a “Shared Marine Future”. Before President Xi Jinping’s 2019 “Shared Marine Future” advocacy in Qingdao, China joined the United Nations Ocean Conference in 2017 for “partnering for the implementation of
Sustainable Development Goal 14” “Blue Partnership”. China’s academic and media have also paid attention to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (2019). No doubt, as the marine policies grow in prominence in the development agenda at various levels in China, China needs to do double governance work: governing China’s marine economy according to ongoing global climate governance, and truly practicing its liberal policy to promote the world’s Shared Marine Future.” ◆
Professor Dr. Pang Zhongying is a Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs and Dean of the National Institute of Marine Development, Ocean University of China (OUC), Qingdao, China.
MADRID_SPAIN
27