在2009 年的「哥本哈根氣候變化會議」（Copenhagen Conference on Climate Chang, COP15）上，中國成為英美國家指責的對象，國際間紛紛要求中國承擔溫室氣體減排的責任。因為截至2007 年，中國碳排放量總量已超過美國，成為世界最大碳排放國家，並成為影響全球氣溫上升最主要的國家，未來中國面對國際氣候組織的壓力將越來越沉重。本文通過「中國氣候論述權」vs「氣候公約壓力」的分析路徑，探討中國應對氣候變化的立場與態度。本文指明，中國在應對氣候變化經歷兩個階段，一是「公約－京都」時期「局部抵制－有條件合作」階段，二是「京都後－哥本哈根」時期「高度配合－協商式合作」階段。本文通過此一演進階段的細部闡釋和解析，說明中國對全球氣候變化的政治立場與理論論述。本文試圖回答，中國是否積極遵守國際氣候公約，期待成為國際氣候社群的合作夥伴？中國是否採取積極作為，在全球環境和氣候變化上扮演「負責任的大國」？本文論證，中國對於遵守國際氣候公約的真實態度是「意願有餘，能力不足」，因此所有的氣候論述皆以「非不遵守，但有區別」或「高度配合，但有條件」為立足點，其目標則是運用論述批判、謹慎論證、有限承諾等等論述策略，藉以爭取轉變國內發展模式從「能耗型」到「節約型」的時間與空間，但最終仍期望實現並符合國際氣候公約的標準與要求。

At the 2009 Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, China became the target of public discussion when each and every country successively
approached China’s leaders asking them to take up responsibility for the
reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2007, China’s discharge of carbon
dioxide had already surpassed emissions caused by the United States, turning China into the world’s number one polluter and a major contributor to climate change. In the years to come, the pressure China has to face from international climate organizations is going to increase notably.
This paper investigates the relationship between China’s leverage in the
discourse on climate change on the one hand and the pressure originating
from climate conventions on the other. It provides an in-depth analysis of the country’s position and conduct in the climate change debate. This paper shows that China has been going through two different phases for addressing climate change. During the first phase, corresponding with the period of the Kyoto Protocol, the country passed through a stage of “partial boycott” and “cooperation with strings attached”. During the second phase which parallels the post-Kyoto era and the time around the Copenhagen summit, China’s behavior has involved a high degree of coordination, agreement and cooperation. The article thoroughly traces the progression of these different phases,as China’s evolving political position and its theoretical discourse regarding global climate change. It also attempts to answer the questions as to whether China is actively going to abide by international climate change conventions and whether it is becoming a cooperative partner in the international climate arena. Finally, the paper tries to answer the question – Will China adopt an active approach and play the role of a “responsible power” in the field of global environmental and climate change?