资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has experienced strong and robust economic performance over the past few decades. Between 1980 and 2016, its annual growth averaged 9.7% for gross domestic product (GDP) and 8.6% for per capita income. However, this rapid growth has not always translated into expansion in social welfare, and has created challenges in the environmental dimension as well. Inequality remains a significant challenge as some social groups, and people in rural areas and lagging provinces, have not benefited as much from the growth process. Moreover, being the world’s largest energy consumer with a coal-dominant energy mix, and as the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, the PRC is estimated to suffer pollution damage of around 6%–9% of GDP. In addition, climate change poses a serious threat to the ecological environment.

Key Points

• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change shifted development priorities from a higher rate or quantity to quality of economic growth that is inclusive and green.
• This note presents a new measure of the quality of growth through the Inclusive Green Growth Index (IGGI), which has three pillars: economic growth, social equity, and environmental sustainability.
• The People’s Republic of China (PRC) displays a high quantity–low quality pattern of growth. Environmental sustainability is its main area for improvement. This note highlights the gaps where the PRC could promote quality growth.