On February 23, 2023, Mendès-France conference room of the Ministry of Finance and Economy in Bercy, François Issard, Member of the Executive Committee of Asia Centre, was the guest of the “Ecole des Mines” for an interview on the theme “China and Ecology: the results of authoritarian governance”.
The purpose of the meeting was to provide a broad overview of China’s energy and ecological policy aspects from a historical and forward-looking perspective as well as from both national and international perspectives.
First, energy development topics, Chinese emissions and climate objectives and commitments (double carbon, the historical evolution of China’s role in COPs), environmental problems caused by the rapid development of industry, but also the tools of Chinese governance available to implement economic and climate policies, their advantages and disadvantages, their limitations were discussed.
The second time was devoted to covering China’s new doctrine of ecological civilization, its foundations, apparent contradictions with economic development goals, China’s international climate ambitions, and influence in the Global South, including a brief description of the “New Silk Road” program and its environmental and climate impacts.
The final question and answer session was an opportunity to clarify and discuss the impact of these policies on Chinese sociology, social protection policies, lifestyles in China, on the reality of the commitments made and the actions already undertaken for Climate and Biodiversity.