In this book, Kim Vender examines China’s leadership in climate change governance. International climate change negotiations were supposed to achieve an agreement at two summits: in 2009 in Copenhagen and again in 2015 in Paris. China’s part in the negotiations has elicited a narrative of ‘obstructor’ first and ‘climate leader’ later. Vender challenges this view of China and investigates why it is still persisting today despite a steady leadership recognition of China found by a long‑term survey of negotiation participants.

In its design, the book explores China’s relationship with the main narrators of the story, i.e. powerful industrialised countries, but also with so far under‑ explored developing countries. It draws on role theory to re‑conceptualise leadership and uses that framework to both scrutinise China’s performance in the climate change negotiations and show how socialisation and the political context have shaped China’s relationship with others. The book furthermore illuminates Chinese understandings of China’s role in climate change as well as contestation of, and support for, an international climate leadership role at home.

China and Climate Leadership offers an in‑depth exploration of China’s behaviour and motivations, and contributes to the ongoing debate on China’s rise and integration into international society. It will be of interest to both academics and practitioners with an interest in International Relations, role theory and Foreign Policy Analysis, China, and climate change governance.

Kim Vender has obtained her PhD in Politics and International Relations from the University of Edinburgh. She is an affiliated researcher at Ruhr University Bochum’s Centre for EU–Asia Connectivity (CEAC) and is interested in climate change policymaking, specialising in the international politics of climate change with a focus on developing countries.