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In order to cope with global climate change and the pressure on resources and the environment, it is of great significance to study the complex interactions and adaptability of water resources, energy, and carbon emission (water-energy-carbon) systems to promote the coordinated development of nature, society, and the economy as well as high-quality economic and social development. Based on the theory of complex adaptive systems, this paper defined the implications of the adaptability of the 'water-energy-carbon' systems, established a framework for the interactive adaptability of these systems, and constructed a system adaptability evaluation index system with four subsystems: sensitivity, compatibility, stability, and sustainability. Furthermore, this paper utilized a comprehensive synergistic evolutionary model to evaluate the adaptability level of the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2010 to 2021, so as to investigate the spatial and temporal evolution of the adaptability of the 'water-energy-carbon' systems in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The results showed that: ① From the perspective of the influence weight of system adaptability, the subsystem weights were ranked as: sustainability > stability > compatibility > sensitivity. ② Considering the adaptability of the indicators, the absolute adaptability of the indicators was greater than the relative adaptability. Regarding the aspect of subsystem adaptability, the sensitivity level showed a stable development trend, the compatibility and stability levels showed an upward trend, and the sustainability level showed a downward trend. From the perspective of inter-provincial adaptability, there was a large gap between the adaptability of the systems in each province, with an uneven situation of 'downstream > midstream > upstream.' In terms of overall adaptability, the adaptability of the Yangtze River Economic Belt system was at a medium level and showed a 'U' -shaped development trend. ③ In terms of the adaptive coordination level of subsystems, the degree of sensitivity coordination remained stable, the degree of compatibility and sustainability coordination was increasing, and the degree of stability coordination was decreasing. ④ From the perspective of spatial correlation characteristics, there was a significant positive global spatial auto-correlation of the adaptability level of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and with the regional differences gradually narrowing, the spatial aggregation changed from weak to strong and then weak again. Moreover, the adaptability level of the system showed a gradient pattern of 'high in the east and low in the west,' with significant provincial differences and strong path dependence. Based on this, this study proposes that we should improve the adaptability of the water-energy-carbon systems of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in terms of digital construction, institutional mechanisms, system synergy, and regional integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Assuming responsibility for emission reduction is an important part of participating in the global governance of climate change. Countries with a carbon neutrality target now cover about 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Carrying out fairness evaluations of their carbon neutrality targets provide a strong basis for the global carbon inventory. In this paper, the target years of carbon neutrality for major countries and regions under the global target of 2 °C and 1.5 °C are studied using the burden sharing model. On this basis, this paper simulates the possible pathways of carbon neutrality and evaluates the ambition of emission reduction targets in terms of annual emission reduction, per capita emission, and cumulative per capita emission. The results show that, from the perspective of equity, most of the developing countries cannot meet the global goal of 1.5 °C. The United States and the European Union nations could achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 by continuing their annual emission reductions under their existing NDC targets. However, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China's annual emission reduction rate from 2030 to 2050 will be 6.7%, and the annual amount of emission reduction accounts for 51% of the global amount under the 1.5 °C target. Meanwhile, China would become the main force behind global cumulative emissions in the following decades. Thus, the emission reduction pathways China chooses will have an important impact on global climate mitigation progress. Based on the above research conclusions, this paper proposes that developed countries and developing countries should explore bilateral or multilateral cooperation in technology and finance in the field of climate change. Under the great pressure to achieve carbon neutrality, China needs to carry out research on the overall emission reduction pathways as soon as possible and clarify the paths at the scale of sectors, industries, provinces, and time stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of climate change, nature-based solutions (NbS) are an advanced concept for human society to cope with climate risks and challenges; they can also help to build a scientific and standardized management system and an efficient and green social and economic system for the achievement of sustainable and high-quality development goals. Besides, it provides the fundamental guidelines and directions for the Xiong' an New Area, which has been planned and constructed with high standards and provides an important realistic scenario for the study of stormwater management modes. This paper introduces the concept and development process of NbS, summarizes its principles and approaches, and systematically analyzes the characteristics of rainstorm and flood disasters in the Xiong' an New Area and the tight situation of water supply and demand caused by rapid socioeconomic development against the background of frequent extreme weather events caused by climate change. Based on the moderate greenhouse gas emission scenario (RCP4.5) of the regional climate model, the numerical simulation results of 1980--2099 with a horizontal resolution of 25 km, and the reference period of 1986--2005, the future climate change prediction analysis and rainstorm and flood risk assessment in the Xiong' an New Area were carried out. According to the Xiong' an New Area' s stormwater management and the current extreme rainfall situation, the paper combines the future social and economic development and urban-rural ecological spatial pattern of the Xiong' an New Area, as well as the concept and construction goals of 'building an ecological city where human and nature coexist harmoniously in the lake city featuring blue sky and verdant fields,' and proposes nature-based solutions to strengthen climate risk management in the area and reduce the risk of extreme precipitation. The proposed stormwater management model for the Xiong' an New Area based on NbS includes three dimensions: ① We should adhere to the overall plan of ecological protection and restoration of the whole basin and improve the capacity of systemic climate governance. ② We should advocate the multi-scale vertical system design at the city level and improve the carrying capacity of urban resilience. ③ We should adhere to the general principle of seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages and strengthen the development of ecological infrastructure. On the basis of effective engineering and institutional defense measures, actively implementing the concept of nature-based solutions in the stormwater management of the Xiong' an New Area is conducive to fully exploring and rationally utilizing the special water system conditions of the area and the integrated environmental advantages of urban lakes, seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages, and minimizing the impact of extreme precipitation on the stable operation of the cities and the safety of people' s lives and property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

he ' Scientific Understanding of Climate Change' part of China' s Fourth National Assessment Report on Climate Change reflects a series of new evidence and new understanding of climate change in China since 2015, based on scientific analyses such as climate system observations, paleoclimate archives, theoretical research, and climate modeling. This report summarizes the basic climatic variables of the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere, as well as the characteristics of climate change seen in extreme events and typical regions in China. It also analyzes the changes in natural and human driving factors affecting climate change and estimates the future trends of climate change in China. Compared with the Third National Assessment Report on Climate Change, this paper identifies the new features of this assessment report in terms of the structure and conclusions. At the same time, it is pointed out that the system of China' s climate change assessment report is continuously enriched and the understanding of scientific basis is constantly deep -ened. The paper also makes a preliminary comparison between this report and the report of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and proposes solutions to issues concerning climate change monitoring and diagnosis, detection and attribution, simulation estimation, instruments, and methods that China may face in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has become a critical issue for ensuring the sustainable development of human society. In the future, countries with greater potential for carbon reduction and advanced carbon technologies will enjoy a more favorable position in global development. The struggle for leadership and influence in the global climate change arena will intensify between developed countries such as the United States and those in Europe, the main promoter of climate change policies, and developing countries such as China. The Chinese government' s climate strategies, including goals of reaching peak carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, are currently focused on finding ways to break the impasse in this climate game between major powers. Carbon tariff policies promoted by Europe and the United States have emerged as a powerful tool in this game. This paper employs a global multi-regional computable general equilibrium model to assess the economic and ecological impacts of the post-carbon tariff era on China. We consider eight possible scenarios based on the assumption that the European Union and the United States will impose carbon tariffs on imported products to meet global carbon reduction targets. The study finds that: ① The carbon tariff policies implemented by the United States and Europe have significant adverse effects on China' s GDP and welfare. Furthermore, these policies have a considerable detrimental impact on exports that are highly carbon-intensive, while their overall effectiveness in reducing carbon emissions remains limited. ② The carbon border tax policy, as applied by developed economies such as the United States and the European Union, does not have a clear effect on reducing carbon emissions and is a typical example of a 'harmful to others, unhelpful to oneself' behavior. ③ The Export Tax Rebate policy of China can to some extent alleviate the adverse impacts of the European and the United States Carbon Border Tax policies on the Chinese economy, while also potentially reducing China' s carbon emissions. ④ The Chinese government needs to be cautious in responding to the retaliatory measures of imposing carbon border taxes on Chinese imports, as they could cause more severe economic losses to China. The article proposes that China should take proactive measures to mitigate the negative impacts of carbon tariffs by implementing an export tax rebate policy. It also suggests guiding carbon-intensive export-oriented enterprises to proactively develop emission reduction plans and carbon footprint inventories, as well as enhancing clean energy technologies. In addition, China should actively achieve its 'dual carbon' goals, thereby avoiding economic suppression by developed economies such as Europe and the United States, who may use carbon tariffs as an excuse. The country should increase its R&D investment to improve its green image, while strengthening international cooperation on climate change governance and seeking a fair and just path towards reducing emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve the goal of 'Net-zero Europe' by 2050, the European Union (EU) has set up detailed policies in the fields of energy and climate. This paper summarizes the main characteristics of relevant policies in the EU and UK and their implications for China by reviewing these policies in the achievement of the carbon neutrality goal and other goals in the energy and climate fields. The characteristics of these energy and climate policies include: ① Top-down and bottom-up approaches are adopted to distribute the EU' s overall emission reduction targets to member states in accordance with the principle of fairness, and each member state formulates and adjusts its own goals to ensure the realization of the overall goals. ② Detailed transition plans are formulated for the power, industry, transportation, and building sectors; importance is attached to the application of new and renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, and hydrogen energy; specific goals are set concerning coal power transition, nuclear energy development, energy efficiency improvement, carbon capture and storage, electrification, and building renovations; and the importance of energy security in transition planning is stressed. ③ A sound and mature emissions trading system and a fair transition mechanism are established to support the realization of the transition goals, and developing countries are helped to reduce emissions through technical dialogues and climate financing. To reach peak carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, China should develop relevant roadmaps at national, sectoral, and provincial levels and strengthen R&D of key decarbonization technologies. At the same time, China should enhance its regulatory regime, and improve the carbon emissions trading system, the green financial system, and the just transition mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ' Policies and Actions to Address Climate Change' part of China' s Fourth National Assessment Report on Climate Change comprehensively summarizes the policies and actions implemented to tackle climate change during the middle and late stages of the 12th Five-Year Plan and the 13th Five-Year Plan, and makes an in-depth and systematic assessment of the effects of the policies. This paper mainly introduces the overall framework and main features of this part of the report, interprets its main conclusions, and proposes prospects for future policies. Since the middle and late stages of the 12th Five-Year Plan, China has adopted a series of policies and actions to tackle climate change, continued to promote the establishment and improvement of climate policies, and formed a policy system with distinctive Chinese characteristics involving the planning objectives, the administrative measures, the market-based policies, the pilot and demonstration actions, etc. During this period, China made great achievements in tackling climate change, fulfilled the 2020 carbon emission reduction target in advance, and reversed the rapid growth of carbon dioxide emissions. To achieve the goal of reaching peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, China needs to make climate change solutions a part of the overall goal and strategy for national modernization in the future, formulate and implement stronger climate policies, and put them into action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Population Resources & Environment is the property of Shandong Normal University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)