CHINA'S AMBIGUOUS CLIMATE POSITION

As the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, China's attitude toward and position in global climate negotiations are critical for its success. As such, in the run-up to COP 26, all eyes are on China. But while Beijing may estimate that its recently announced climate targets, namely to peak emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060, are testament to the country's ambition and willingness to take a leading role in global climate negotiations, failure to issue a more specific road map to achieving these goals alongside Beijing's reluctance to commit to phasing out coal in the near term will weigh on global efforts and on China's position. Moreover, at COP 21 in Paris, China's emergence as a global leader was facilitated by a combination of a strong domestic agenda and international coordination. China's position toward and involvement in climate negotiations has evolved dramatically over the past three decades, with China playing a peripheral role in climate talks following the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, focused mainly on asserting and defending its rights to development.