서강대학교

초록/요약

The United States (US) and China competed, but also cooperated on various intertwined international matters. The global climate change issue became one of the challenges with which both countries faced. In the initial stage of the international negotiation on climate change, both the US and China refused a binding commitment on carbon reductions that weakened the climate change regime. The US did not agree to commit a legal agreement on emission cut unless developing countries, especially China, join it together. On the other hand, China claimed that developed countries should do more as they had historically emitted greenhouse gases. In November 2014, however, two countries made a joint announcement on emission targets through bilateral cooperation. By utilizing the concept of levels of analysis, this thesis examines changes that led to a convergence of policy on emission limits in both countries. The political will of leaders in an individual level and national interests in a domestic level are significant factors for them to initiate and enhance bilateral cooperation, but these factors have some limitations to explain the US-China normative commitments. In a system level, the changed structure of the normative system created by multilateral negotiations at the United Nations level adds more explanation to the US-China cooperation on energy and climate change. This research suggests that self-determined contribution system under the international pressure is crucial in constructing positive partnership between the US and China by altering their roles and stances, and inducing a global action for a new phase of climate change regime.