Introduction and overview

Applying a holistic approach that links insights, analysis, and concepts from a range of disciplines, this book works with climate change, China, and confronting challenges associated with carbon emissions. For symmetry, I chose a title with four Cs. I toyed with adding a subtitle with four more Cs that also feature prominently in the pages that follow: Consumption, Co-benefits, Culture, and Collaboration. This coverage brings us to eight Cs, a lucky number among many Chinese. To stem global warming and stabilize the climate, we all can use a steady flow of good luck. However, China Confronts Climate Change is about policy, action, and promising pathways – not luck. To be precise, it emphasizes the bottom-up perspective that often is overlooked when scientists calculate and international negotiators meet. ¹ It builds on nascent, but growing recognition that if “real action on climate change” is to occur, “we need to move from a top-down strategy to a bottom-up approach” (Etsy, 2014).