[{"bbox": [85, 153, 1145, 310], "category": "Text", "text": "deliver on the Paris Agreement, the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and other multilateral environmental agreements, and to advance the external dimension of the European Green Deal³ as central component of EU's Global Gateway strategy. Engagement on the green policy agenda has broadened and deepened through the EU-China High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and continued mutual interest in advancing commitments in this policy area, as shown by the agreement on the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the end of 2022."}, {"bbox": [85, 341, 1145, 657], "category": "Text", "text": "Wildlife trafficking is a global challenge with profound negative environmental, social, economic and political impacts. In November 2022, the EU adopted a revised EU Action Plan to put an end to illegal wildlife trade⁴, as announced in the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030⁵. The lucrative global black market in illegal wildlife trade contributes to the depletion or extinction of entire species and risks of further zoonotic diseases. China's market for wildlife goods is globally significant and is subject to a range of legislative and regulatory interventions adopted within the context of international efforts to reduce over-exploitation of nature, especially the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). China is a destination market for illegal wildlife trade, a hub for trafficking in transit to other regions and, for some species, the source region for illegal trade. Global imports of tropical hardwood logs totalled 18 million cubic meters in 2018. An estimated 82 per cent of the value of this import demand came from industries based in China⁶. Continued engagement is thus crucial to deliver on the external dimension of the European Green Deal and the policy priorities of the EU Action Plan."}, {"bbox": [85, 688, 1145, 928], "category": "Text", "text": "China's role as an international development actor is evolving and expanding: China is now the largest bilateral creditor to developing countries globally, and has recently launched the Global Development Initiative (GDI) in September 2021, aiming to increase its appeal to the Global South and position itself as a leader amongst developing countries. China does not consider itself to be a \"donor\" and does not use established donor systems or standards such as those developed by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC). This creates significant challenges in assessing the nature, scale and impact of China's development activities. The EU aims to develop a cohort of European researchers with expertise in China's evolving role in international development and generate detailed evidence and analysis about its impact. This would underpin any engagement with China on international development to promote EU interests and positions."}, {"bbox": [85, 969, 340, 998], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [85, 1061, 839, 1088], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### Component 1 – EU-China Cooperation on Environment and Green Economy"}, {"bbox": [85, 1116, 1145, 1328], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will support preparation and follow-up of initiatives agreed at the EU-China High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue (HECD, as regards specifically environmental policy issues) and the Ministerial-level Environmental Policy Dialogue (EPD) on priority areas including circular economy, pollution control, sound management of chemicals and waste, deforestation, and biodiversity. Enhanced policy dialogues and expert exchanges will focus on key EU environmental policies and action plans such as the European Green Deal⁷, the EU Action Plan to End Wildlife Trafficking (revised in 2022)⁸, the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030⁹, the Zero Pollution Action Plan¹⁰, the Circular Economy Action Plan¹¹, as well as specific legislative and policy initiatives adopted under these frameworks. The project will also focus on supporting EU-China exchanges in relation to major"}, {"bbox": [85, 1378, 275, 1401], "category": "Footnote", "text": "³ COM/2019/640 final"}, {"bbox": [85, 1402, 275, 1424], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁴ COM/2022/581 final"}, {"bbox": [85, 1427, 275, 1449], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁵ COM/2020/380 final"}, {"bbox": [85, 1451, 1143, 1499], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶ UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME (UNODC), 2020, \"World Wildlife Crime Report Trafficking in protected species\", p.38, Vienna, Austria"}, {"bbox": [85, 1500, 275, 1522], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ COM/2019/640 final"}, {"bbox": [85, 1524, 275, 1546], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ COM/2022/581 final"}, {"bbox": [85, 1548, 275, 1570], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ COM/2020/380 final"}, {"bbox": [85, 1572, 281, 1594], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁰ COM/2021/400 final"}, {"bbox": [85, 1596, 275, 1618], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹¹ COM/2020/98 final"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1682, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 26"}]