How Domestic and International Pressures Impact China’s Climate Action

Tiffany Liu

Instructor’s Introduction

WR151: The Rise of China in Global Affairs invites students to explore the international implications of China’s economic rise. Students learn to examine how domestic and international factors overlap to shape foreign engagement and apply this framework to a case of their own choosing. Tiffany Liu knew from the very beginning of the class that she wanted to focus on the relationship between development and the environment. Over the course of the semester, I was proud to see her research and really engage with discourse in Political Science. In addition to writing an excellent research paper Tiffany decided to go above and beyond and turn her argument into a short informational video, letting her artistic talent shine. She animated her own illustrations to tell a story that captivates the audience while breaking down complex academic concepts.

Sarah Sklar

From the Writer

As we continue to battle climate change, it becomes increasingly important that we consider not only the climate action of major world players, but also the different factors that influence their climate action. China has become a main topic in ongoing discussions about climate change, as a main cause as well as a potential solution. As such a large power in the world, China is susceptible to pressure from both external forces, such as other countries, as well as internal forces, such as the citizens and people living in China. This gives rise to domestic and international pressures that influence China’s climate action. In my video, I explain how these pressures influence China into a struggle-to-success model, an idea coined by author Angela Hsu in her op-ed about China’s role in climate change. In this model, China must struggle to implement positive climate practices before it can make a larger impact on their change for the better. Due to China’s dominance, it takes a little regression to inspire progression, like how turning a large ship can require going a little in the opposite direction at first.

How Domestic and International Pressures Impact China’s Climate Action

Tiffany Liu is a sophomore studying Computer Science and Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. She developed a passion for the environment and climate change through her life sciences courses, and brought this passion to formulate a research question that addressed China’s climate action. As the child of Chinese immigrants, Tiffany has been interested in understanding China’s role in the climate change scene. She would like to extend appreciation to Sarah Sklar, her WR151 professor, for encouraging her to dive into this topic and create this audiovisual representation of her research. Without her, Tiffany would not have developed the drive to research this question.