CHAPTER 7 The EU-China Partnership. Forging a New Space on Global Climate Change (Edward Cameron & Hilary McMahon) 173

European View ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-162
Author(s):  
Romain Chuffart ◽  
Andreas Raspotnik

Dealing with climate change and developing the Arctic sustainably are often seen as both binary and contradictory sets of challenges. The EU is in a unique position in Arctic affairs: unlike non-Arctic states, it is part of and linked to the region. However, the EU is at risk of missing the opportunity to be a leader in setting standards for a coherent and sustainable approach for the region. The Arctic is often used as a symbol for global climate change and, conversely, climate change is also used as a reason for more Arctic engagement. Yet, the roots of global heating—greenhouse gas emissions—mostly originate from outside the region. This article asks whether the path towards more EU–Arctic involvement should start closer to home.


Significance The United States has already committed, in an unprecedented deal with China in November 2014, to reducing its emissions to 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025 (an improvement on its previous 17% goal). China in return pledged that its emissions would peak around 2030. This agreement is a game-changer for combating global climate change, since the two countries are the world's largest sources of carbon emissions, together accounting for 40% of the total, and were not covered under the now-expired Kyoto Protocol. Impacts Washington is poised to reclaim its place, lost after Kyoto, as a leader in global efforts against climate change. US-China climate cooperation initiatives could serve as templates for other developing countries. There are new opportunities for trilateral cooperation involving the EU. Fears that the bilateral agreement makes the UNFCCC obsolete are unwarranted, but it could preclude more ambitious efforts.


Author(s):  
Kateøina Kašparová ◽  
Roman Svoboda ◽  
Lucie Severová ◽  
Jana Hinke

Agriculture in the Czech Republic is one of major sectors of the economy, as it provides a substantial share of the basic food requirements of the population. An important part of agricultural companies’ production consists of livestock, especially because of the effective use of crop production as a source of all kinds of animal feed. It is also proven that livestock production plays a significant role in the creation and cultivation of the landscape. Czech agriculture has shown a profit since joining the EU thanks to a significant increase in subsidies. The aim of this paper is to show the impacts of the globalization of the economy and climate change on the economic performance of agricultural companies in the Czech Republic. Serious consequences of global climate change are already evident, and their intensity will grow with the ongoing warming of the planet.


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