Can China benefit from adopting a binding emissions target?

Robert Schmidt and Robert Marschinski

Energy Policy, 2010, vol. 38, issue 7, 3763-3770

Abstract: In the run-up to the Copenhagen climate summit, the USA announced an emissions reduction target of 17% by 2020 (relative to 2005), and the EU of 20-30% (relative to 1990). For the same time horizon, China offered to reduce the CO2-intensity of its economy by 40-45% (relative to 2005), but rejects a legally binding commitment. We use the targets announced by the EU and the USA to analyze the potential gain for China if it were to adopt a binding emissions target and join an international emissions trading scheme. We show that China would likely benefit from choosing a binding target well below its projected baseline emissions for 2020.

Keywords: Abatement; costs; Emissions; trading; Climate; policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:enepol:v:38:y:2010:i:7:p:3763-3770

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