Policies That Promote Environmental Industry in China

This book gathers some of the main findings of the EUfunded project POREEN on partnering opportunities between Europe and China in the renewable energies and environmental industries. As a Marie Curie action, POREEN’s goal was to produce research results which inform policy, while improving knowledge and research skills. Research outputs were developed leveraging academic mobility in China and Europe, particularly of young researchers. Their common objective was to seek to highlight opportunities to expand and develop this important relationship in a way that moves both regions toward a more sustainable future. In a four-year time frame, researchers analyzed the opportunities and potential to boost cooperation between China and Europe in this important area. They used a variety of research approaches and academic perspectives, combining economic, legal, and engineering perspectives. The economic dimensions of the project included the identification of critical issues, gaps, and potential for bilateral foreign direct investments and trade in the broad area of green industries. Legal research had a similar objective, but focused on offshore oil and gas extraction, renewable energies, corporate responsibility, and environmental legislation. The team’s engineering research relates to energy efficiency and carbon dioxide reduction, particularly concerning transportation and low-carbon buildings. The book is structured into three interrelated and connected parts. Part I has an economic and policy orientation. The seven chapters examine different aspects of trade and foreign direct investment relations between Europe and China, in the renewable energies and/or environmental industries. Bilateral trade and FDI flows are analyzed, also in the light of Chinese and European green policy and cooperation initiatives. Authors identify obstacles, barriers, and difficulties faced by European and Chinese firms in initiating, maintaining, and consolidating both trade and investment initiatives in China and Europe, respectively. Key factors and issues to be addressed to further stimulate EUChina trade and investment flows are also considered. Part II addresses the legal framework of EUChina cooperation. The first two chapters describe the Chinese environmental protection system, analyzing both national laws and governance measures. Then, the focus is on three specific themes: the electric sector in China, Corporate Social Responsibility in a comparative perspective, and the legal framework for civil liability for environmental damages deriving from energy misuse Part III is focused on engineering-related research activity. Two main research areas are developed, both related to energy efficiency and carbon dioxide reduction: mobility and the transportation sector and low-carbon buildings. The four chapters in this part highlight the state of the art of the engineering research group in key areas (mobility and the transportation sector and low-carbon buildings) that might have a huge potential impact on bilateral cooperation between Europe and China. One topic is related to the use of methane and biomethane, both in its compressed and liquid form, as an alternative fuel to reduce the environmental impact and GHG emissions in the transport sector. In general, biomass as feedstock energy source in China and its potential has been evaluated in detail. Whereas on the topic of low-carbon buildings, the use of heat pumps and district cooling/ heating networks have been considered in order to increase the energy efficiency for space heating and domestic hot water production. Moreover, smart devices in buildings, studied on experimental test rigs, for thermal comfort and consumption reduction have been presented. Together these diverse inputs seek to contribute to a more integrated, coherent and effective approach to EU-China cooperation in the sector.