Abstract

As carbon neutrality has already become the global consensus and has increasingly been taking center stage in economic globalization, the awakening and strengthening consciousness of environmental protection at the international level is inevitably exerting a profound influence on China's foreign investment governance. In terms of domestic factors, as China's economic development model is changing from extensive to high-quality, its value proposition and development orientation are also shifting from profit- to sustainability-oriented, putting forward higher environmental requests. At present, China is undergoing its first treaty-based investment-environment arbitration, which fully demonstrates the tension between implementing investment protection and pursuing environmental value. This article is to explore, from the perspective of a transition economy, how and to what extent the increasing global environmental concerns are impacting international investment law, which in turn, influences the negotiation and conclusion of China's future investment agreements as well as its foreign investment management system, and finally, affect foreign investments in China.

This paper will be part of the TDM Special Issue on "International Investment Arbitration - Environmental Protection and Climate Change Issues". More information here www.transnational-dispute-management.com/news.asp?key=1893