Environmental Governance as Opportunity for China and EU Cooperation

Abstract

Climate changes, i.e. air pollution, water scarcity and soil contamination remain threats and represent great challenge to Chinese efforts in making its development sustainable. Since the very first developmental goals during the first decades of its policy of reforms and opening did not follow high ecological standards, China became the world’s top emitter producing more than a quarter of the world’s annual greenhouse emission. However, climate changes are not only Chinese issues, their consequences are global in character. Thus, fighting climate changes requires intercontinental and international cooperation. China pledged to cut emissions under the Paris Agreement and is making great efforts by making environmental issue the priority in the further developmental goals. This paper analyses the Sino-EU relations and cooperation in creating “Green civilization” and environmental global governance. The first part of the paper tackles the development of the ecological state of mind in China, particularly because China announced that it would become a climate neutral country. In the same part of the paper, we are examining the development of the EU approach in becoming the climate neutral space. The second part of the paper is focused on China`s international cooperation in fighting climate changes, particularly the Sino-EU cooperation on this particular issue, that is, making “Green civilization”. We will examine whether this cooperation is opening new space for improving their mutual cooperation and creating the harmonious atmosphere for a win-win cooperation of further antagonizing currently disturbed relations