Abstract
A healthy and fully functional ecosystem is more robust and resilient to external stressors by reducing related risks, and with greater flexibility in adaptation responses. In contrast, a degrading or poorly managed ecosystem may exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and has a very low capacity in defending against negative climate change impacts.
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Notes
- 1.
Munang et al. (2011, 937, 940).
- 2.
McDonald (2010, 1).
- 3.
Lewis (2007).
- 4.
Moore (2011, 147–157).
- 5.
Article 2 of UNFCCC: The ultimate objective of this Convention and any related legal instruments that the Conference of the Parties may adopt is to achieve, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention, stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous atmospheric interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner. See, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1994).
- 6.
Burton and May (2004, 31).
- 7.
Adger et al. (2009, 335, 336).
- 8.
Pielke et al. (2007, 597–598).
- 9.
Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (2010).
- 10.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2009, 48).
- 11.
See, e.g., China’s National Climate Change Programme (2007).
- 12.
See e.g., Mata and Budhooram (2007, 799–807).
- 13.
Smit and Wandel (2006, 282–292).
- 14.
For example, Smit et al. (2000, 223–251). (Regarding adaptation as ‘adjustments in ecological-socio-economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli, their effects or impacts’.)
- 15.
See Pielke (1998, 159–170). (Defining adaptations as the ‘adjustments in individual groups and institutional behavior in order to reduce society’s vulnerability to climate’.)
- 16.
See Brooks (2003, 8). (Describing adaptation as ‘adjustments in a system’s behavior and characteristics that enhance its ability to cope with external stress.’)
- 17.
IPCC (2007a, 6).
- 18.
According to Ruhl, adaptation is a capital-intensive undertaking, using a broad range of technological, financial, human, social and natural capital. [See, Ruhl (2010, 363, 384)]. This book argues that legal capital can be regarded as an integral part of social capital. Legal capital is at the center of arranging and distributing various capitals through assigning rights and responsibilities, as well as setting regulatory boundaries. This will be given further explain in Sect. 3.2 in Chap. 3.
- 19.
Ruhl (2010, 363, 393).
- 20.
Swart and Raes (2007, 288, 291).
- 21.
Ibid., 292.
- 22.
Heller (1996, 295, 309).
- 23.
Ruhl (2011, 1373, 1378).
- 24.
Ibid.
- 25.
Chang (2012).
- 26.
Pielke et al. (2007, 597).
- 27.
The Twelfth Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2011, ch 21).
- 28.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1994, art 4, 1 (b)).
- 29.
Cao and Jiang (2010, 195–216).
- 30.
China’s National Climate Change Programme (2007, 23–25).
- 31.
China’s National Climate Change Programme (2007, 23–25).
- 32.
China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change (2008).
- 33.
China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change (2012, 18–19).
- 34.
China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change (2012, 18–19).
- 35.
National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (2013).
- 36.
National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (2013).
- 37.
China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change (2011).
- 38.
Climate Change Action Plan in Hubei Province (2010).
- 39.
Climate Change Action Plan in Hubei Province (2010).
- 40.
Cao and Jiang (2010, 195–216).
- 41.
The Ministry of Water Resources (2010).
- 42.
See e.g. Smit and Pilifosova (2001, 877, 895–897).
- 43.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2009, 74).
- 44.
Gerrard and Kuh (2012, 4).
- 45.
McDonald (2010, 11).
- 46.
IPCC (2007b, 729–730).
- 47.
National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (2010, 29)s.
- 48.
Ibid., 28.
- 49.
McDonald (2010, 12–13).
- 50.
McDonald (2013, 126, 128).
- 51.
McDonald (2010, 12–13).
- 52.
Ibid., 16–19.
- 53.
McDonald (2013, 126, 128).
- 54.
Peng (2012, 89–91).
- 55.
McDonald (2013, 126, 127).
- 56.
The Committee of Climate Change (2008).
- 57.
Climate Change Act 2010 (Vic).
- 58.
For example, in 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 but this legislation did not get through the US Senate and never became law; in 2010, the American Power Act of 2010 was draft by the Senate and failed to enact again. In 2015, Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) have introduced legislation to promote energy efficiency in the past several Congresses only to see it held up for substantive and procedural reasons. Updated data shows that nearly 100 bills focusing specifically on climate change have been introduced in the 114th Congress (2015–2016) and their destiny remains to be seen.
- 59.
Smit and Pilifosova (2001, 877, 897).
- 60.
Flood Control Law of People’s Republic of China (1997, art 43).
- 61.
The Resolution of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Making Active Responses to Climate Change (2009).
- 62.
The Resolution of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Making Active Responses to Climate Change (2009).
- 63.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of the PRC (2011).
- 64.
China.org (2012).
- 65.
China.com (2012).
- 66.
China.org (2012).
- 67.
ClimaXmi (2012).
- 68.
Ibid.
- 69.
China Carbon Forum (2012).
- 70.
Li (2011).
- 71.
Measures of Responding to Climate Change in Shanxi Province (2011).
- 72.
Measures of Responding to Climate Change in Qinghai Province (2010).
- 73.
- 74.
Measures of Responding to Climate Change in Qinghai Province (2010, art 6-13).
- 75.
Department of Climate Change, NDRC, China (2012).
- 76.
Fickling (2010).
- 77.
Carbon Tax Act, SBC 2008; Climate Change Act 2010 (Vic).
- 78.
Climate Change Act 2008 (UK); Vance (2012).
- 79.
Lee (2005, 135, 149).
- 80.
发展和改革委员会应对气候变化司 [Department of Climate Change, NDRC, China], 工作职责[Working Responsibilities]. http://qhs.ndrc.gov.cn/jgsz/default.htm.
- 81.
Qi et al. (2007, 8).
- 82.
Li (2009, 92).
- 83.
McGray (2010).
- 84.
Wiener (2008, 1805, 1823).
- 85.
Qi et al. (2007, 8, 9).
- 86.
China’s National Climate Change Programme (2007, 12).
- 87.
Richerzhagen and Scholz (2008, 308, 318).
- 88.
Ibid.
- 89.
Interview with interviewee 1, staff of the Development and Reform Commission of Jiangxi Province (Nanchang, China, 24 October 2011).
- 90.
Qi et al. (2008, 379, 380).
- 91.
Ibid., 382–384.
- 92.
For instance, Jiangxi, Qinghai and Hubei Province are the former cases while Shandong and Henan Province are the latter cases.
- 93.
There are four levels of government which set-up the Development and Reform Commission: central, provincial, city, and county level.
- 94.
Qi et al. (2007, 8, 11).
- 95.
Interview with Interviewee 2, staff of the Meteorological Bureau, Jiangxi Province (Nanchang, China, 24 October 2011); Qi et al. (2008, 379, 392).
- 96.
See e.g., Xia et al. (2008, 215).
- 97.
Interview with interviewee 3, staff of the Changjiang Water Resources Commission, Hubei Province (Wuhan, China, 11 October 2011).
- 98.
Wang et al. (2009).
- 99.
Xu and Ma (2009, 62).
- 100.
Gemmer et al. (2013, 79, 90).
- 101.
China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change (2012, 18).
- 102.
Xu and Ma (2009, 61–63).
- 103.
Ibid.
- 104.
Yin et al. (2011, 162–172).
- 105.
See, e.g., in the CNCCP, impacts of climate change are identified and classified in different regions; serious reports of climate change impacts funded by China Meteorological Commission are carried out on a regional and basin level.
- 106.
Peng (2012, 89–91).
- 107.
Ibid.
- 108.
Juhola and Kruse (2015, 99, 102).
- 109.
Lin (2012, 300, 314).
- 110.
Lewis (2007).
- 111.
The Comprehensive Work Plan for Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction During the 12th Five Year Plan Period (2011).
- 112.
Qi et al. (2007, 8).
- 113.
Lin (2012, 300).
- 114.
Interview with a village committee leader, Dangyang City, Hubei Province (Dangyang, China, 13 October 2011).
- 115.
Pan et al. (2011, 99, 104).
- 116.
Gemmer et al. (2013, 79, 90).
- 117.
- 118.
China’s National Climate Change Program and Report of Experimental Provinces’ Advice on Dealing with Climate Change (2007).
- 119.
Gemmer et al. (2011, 1, 9).
- 120.
Ibid.
- 121.
See, e.g., Yang (2010).
- 122.
国务院南水北调工程建设委员会办公室 [Office of the South-to-North Water Division Commission of the State Council], 荣耀与尊严[Glory and Dignity]. http://www.nsbd.gov.cn/zx/zj/2005gqt/5/4/201205/t20120523_221667.html.
- 123.
The Resolution on Promoting Water Conservancy Development (2010).
- 124.
- 125.
Hurwitz (2012).
- 126.
Ibid.
- 127.
As a tool to address climate change, mainstreaming climate change adaptation in EIA will be analyzed in Sect. 6.2 in Chap. 6.
- 128.
Marks (2010, 971, 977).
- 129.
Day (2010).
- 130.
Environmental Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China (2014, art 6, 26).
- 131.
Economy (2010, 278).
- 132.
Ibid.
- 133.
Xia and Pahl-Wostl (2012, 60, 73).
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He, X. (2016). The Legal Framework of China’s Water-Related Climate Change Adaptation. In: Legal Methods of Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in Chinese Water Management. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0404-9_3
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