China Criticizes EU Carbon Tariff

China European Union (EU)Opinions Policy

July 27, 2021

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by Matthew Choi (Politico's Morning Energy) China is denouncing the European Commission’s recent framework for a carbon border adjustment scheme, saying it would violate trade principles and potentially hinder economic development in middle-income countries. "CBAM is essentially a unilateral measure to extend the climate change issue to the trade sector. It violates WTO principles ... and (will) seriously undermine mutual trust in the global community and the prospects for economic growth," said Liu Youbin, a spokesman of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, according to Reuters.

China often cites its status as a middle-income country to push back on stringent climate measures as it tries to rapidly expand its energy production. The country also had a major hand in blocking the G-20 from adopting the G-7’s stance on shunning coal during their summit in Naples, Italy, last week. READ MORE

As China Boomed, It Didn’t Take Climate Change Into Account. Now It Must. China’s breathtaking economic growth created cities ill-equipped to face extreme weather. Last week’s dramatic floods showed that much will have to change. (New York Times)