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Chapter Seven Regional Studies on Climate Change Response

in the historical responsibility of developed nations, which have long been major emitters
of greenhouse gases contributing significantly to current climate change, coupled with their
stronger economic capabilities and advanced technological resources to achieve deeper
emission cuts. However, in reality, only Norway has committed to this target, demonstrating
proactive engagement and firm resolve in addressing climate change. The European Union
(EU) proposed a 20%-30% reduction target, yet internal disagreements persist among
member states due to differences in economic structures and energy dependency levels, with
some industrialized nations heavily reliant on energy consumption expressing reservations
about more ambitious targets. Japan proposed a 25% reduction target, adopting a cautious
approach due to multifaceted challenges in energy transition—including resource scarcity
and energy supply security. The United States pledged merely a 4% reduction, a target that
failed to pass in its Congress, making it the only developed nation that has not ratified the
Kyoto Protocol.
During this phase, developed countries’ climate policies exhibited adjustments under
international negotiation pressures, yet with extremely prominent characteristics of internal
interest conflicts. Domestic interest groups held vastly different attitudes towards climate
policies, with traditional industry groups like energy enterprises significantly obstructing
policymaking due to concerns that stringent emissionreduction policieswould impact their
interests. Taking the United States as an example, during this period, traditional energy
industries such as coal and oil held substantial influence in certain states. These industries
played vital roles in local economies, providing numerous employment opportunities and
contributing significantly to state fiscal revenues. Through forming industry associations
and hiring professional lobbying teams, they exerted influence on the federal government’s
climate policy direction. Lobbying teams attempted to block or weaken stringent climate
policies by providing political donations to congressional members and conducting public
relations campaigns,resulting in the United States’ emissionreduction commitmentsThis as-
pect has been relatively conservative. At the same time, some developed countries have also
exhibited wavering in policy implementation, struggling to strike a balance between eco-
nomic development and emission reduction targets. When facing economic downturns, some
nations often slow down or even suspend the implementation of emissionreduction policiesto
maintain growth and employment, leading to compromised continuity and stability of poli-
cies. For instance, subsidy policies for new energy industries were reduced in some countries
due to fiscal constraints, slowing the sector’s development.
(3) Strengthened Actions and Diversified Policy Advancement Phase (Post-Copen-
hagen Era to Present)
After the Copenhagen Conference, although no comprehensive legally binding agree-
ment was reached, global climate action continued. The adoption of the Paris Agreement in
2015 reinvigorated international consensus on climate response. Against this backdrop, de-
veloped countries further intensified climate actions, with their policies demonstrating diver-

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