GLOBAL CLIMATE GOVERNANCE:
THE EU GREEN DEAL
Climate & Leadership Course, GAUC, Summer 2023
Summer 2023
« AN ACTOR QUALIFIES AS A ‘LEADER’ IN GLOBAL
CLIMATE GOVERNANCE IF IT IS MORE AMBITIOUS
THAN OTHERS IN THE PURSUIT OF THE COMMON
GOOD » (OBERTHÜR & DUPONT 2021)
Summer 2023
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CLIMATE GOVERNANCE & NEGOTIATION
THE EU GREEN DEAL
OUTLINE
1. Historical role of the EU as an environmental and climate leader
2. The Green Deal
3. The challenge of delivering this policy agenda
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THE HISTORICAL ROLE OF THE EU
AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER
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Not covered by the treaties
until 1986 … But first policies
in 1972.
Since then, the EU became
an undisputed political
authority in this field and
environmental / climate action
is one of its most dynamic
areas of intervention.
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BRIEF OVERVIEW
•
An area of shared competence between the EU and the Member
States, with the principle of subsidiarity determining the most
effective level of action.
•
The Treaties of the European Union established that EU environment
policy should contribute to pursuing the objectives of ‘preserving,
protecting and improving the quality of the environment, protecting
human health,[promoting] prudent and rationalutilisation of natural
resources, [and]promoting measures at internationallevel […] and
[…] combating climate change’ (EU, 2007).
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SINCE 1972, SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATIVE PRODUCTION:
+ 800 TEXTS (DIRECTIVES, REGULATIONS, ETC.)
GEN
CUST
AGR
FISH
9%
15%
SOC
EST
TRANSP
General & programmes
CO MP
Pollutions, nuisances
TAX
ECO
7%
EXREL
Space, environment and
natural resources
International cooperation
ENE R
9%
10%
MK T
REG IO
ENV
10%
EDUC
ENTR
EU environmental legislation: 4
main areas
CFSP
Number of legisltations adopted
in 2014-2018
AFSJ
Source: EUR-Lex, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/fr/consleg/latest/chap1510.htm
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Topics listed by the European
Environment Agency (2019)
•
Increasing number of activities
•
Integration of new issues
•
Institutional innovations
Pollution control, harmful
activities, systematic
integration
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Agriculture
Climate
Seas and
Coastlines
Energy
Water
Waste and
material
resources
Industry
Natural
resources
Green
economy
Fishing
Household
consumption
Specific
regions
Soils
Noise
Environmental
technologies
Environmental
health
Chemistry
Environmental
scenarios
Air pollution
Biodiversity
Transportation
Tourism
Urban
environment
Spatial
planning
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THE CHANGING UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL
CHALLENGES AND THE EVOLUTION OF APPROACHES TO
POLICY AND ASSESSMENT
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IS EUROPE LIVING WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE PLANET?
Assessment of
Europe’s environmental
footprint based on
planetary boundaries
The yellow zone of
uncertainty represents
the average range
across the six
principles to allocate a
European share of the
global safe operating
space.
Summer 2023
European consumption-based performance for selected
planetary boundaries – EEA, 2020, p.53
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THE EU GREEN DEAL AND THE CHALLENGE OF
DELIVERING THIS POLICY AGENDA
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Key initiatives to break silos and main files
THE EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL: A NEW GROWTH STRATEGY
Summer 2023
•
Goal:
becoming the
world’s first
climate-neutral
continent by
2050
•
Published by
the EU
Commission,
December 11,
2019
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“We need an ambitious Green New Deal for Europe, which
shapes the future for our children and ensures their
health, prosperity and security on a green and thriving
planet.”
Frans Timmermans, S&D, Exec VP for the EU Green Deal 11
September 2019
“ The European Green Deal is our new growth strategy – it is a
strategy for growth that gives more back than it takes away. […]
We want to be the frontrunners in climate friendly industries,
in clean technologies, in green financing. But we also have to
be sure that no one is left behind.”,
Ursula Von Der Leyen, EPP, President of the EU Commission 11
December 2019
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THE EMERGING EU ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE POLICY
LANDSCAPE
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Key initiatives to break silos and main files
Environment and
climate
• Climate law (netzero 2050) and
climate pact
• New 2030 GHG
target
• Circular economy
• Blue economy
• Biodiversity strategy
Summer 2023
Sustainable Finance
• GD Europe
Investment Plan
(1trn in 10 years)
• 50% of EIB
investment to climate
by 2025
• Green financing
strategy
Economic
dimensions
Others
• Review Energy
Taxation Directive
• Carbon Border
Adjustment
• Integration of SDGs
in the semester
• Industrial and
Circular economy
strategy
• Just Transition
Mechanism
• Renovation wave
• Offshore renewable,
hydrogen
strategies…
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SIGNIFICANT SOCIO-SPATIAL VARIATIONS ACROSS THE EU
• The impact of climate change
• National states and interests: have all Member states adopted
an adaptation strategy ?
• Regions at risk and in need of support
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THE IMPACT OF
CLIMATE
CHANGE ON
EUROPE:
EXAMPLE
Summer 2023
©Infographic from the
EU Parliament, 2018,
available here
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DECARBONIZING
TARGETS :
BEWARE THE
IMPLEMENTATION
GAP !
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LOCATION OF "ATRISK" REGIONS (IN
NEED OF "JUST
TRANSITION") :
COUNTRY
REPORTS OF THE
EUROPEAN
SEMESTER,
PRESENTED IN THE
EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT
STUDY
Summer 2023
© Robert Schuman,
European isue 567,
2020, available here
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THE EU GREAN DEAL
INVESTMENT PLAN
AND JUST
TRANSITION
MECHANISM
•
•
•
The Just Transition Fund;
A dedicated scheme under
the InvestEU programme; a
A public sector loan facility
provided by the European
Investment Bank to mobilise
additional investments in the
regions concerned
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POST-COVID 19
BUDGET: « NEXT
GENERATION
EU »
Summer 2023
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A FOREIGN POLICY ISSUE & GREEN DIPLOMACY
« As a global leader, the EU will continue to lead
international efforts, and in conjunction with our
partners, address environmental challenges and
promote the implementation of ambitious
environment, climate and energy policies across the
world. Through bilateral efforts, we will accompany
partners to transition towards more sustainable
development pathways. »
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THE CHALLENGE OF DELIVERING THIS
POLICY AGENDA
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CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2050 : AMBITIOUS BUT UNLIKELY
CLIMATE TARGETS
Credible only on the
condition of initiating a
fundamental reflection
beforehand on the
reasons for the gap
between achievements
and ambitions, before
considering increasing it
further.
New policies needed
(shift / improve)
Old policies need to
be dismantled (avoid)
Summer 2023
Éloi Laurent, 2020, OFCE policy brief 63, january 28. Available26
here
CARBON NEUTRAL BY 2050 : DECOUPLING VS. DECOUPLING
NET OF OFFSHORED PRODUCTION
• Norms in place at the
UN since Kyoto
Protocol (1997):
Production emissions
• BUT if consumption
emissions, significant
lower EU climate
performance
Summer 2023
Éloi Laurent, 2020, OFCE policy brief 63, january 28. Available here
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Summer 2023
Éloi Laurent, 2020, OFCE policy brief 63, january 28. Available here
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THE QUESTION OF PERIMETER: THE SHARE OF EUROPE’S
FINAL DEMAND FOOTPRINT EXERTED OUTSIDE EUROPEAN
BORDERS.
Europe is highly dependent
on resources extracted or
used outside Europe, such as
water, land use products,
biomass or other materials, to
meet its high consumption
levels. (EEA, 2019, p.50)
Resource efficiency and
circular economy is not
enough => need to reduce
the EU’s global material
footprint
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Summer 2023
The politics of the Green Deal, Politico, 2020. Available here
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QB3: In your opinion,
who within the EU is
responsible for
tackling climate
change?
(MULTIPLE ANSWERS
POSSIBLE)
(% - EU27)
Summer 2023
Special Eurobarometer 513, 2021, p.27
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QB3 In your opinion, who
within the EU is
responsible for tackling
climate change?
(MULTIPLE ANSWERS
POSSIBLE)
(% -THE MOST
MENTIONED ANSWER BY
COUNTRY)
Summer 2023
Special Eurobarometer 513, 2021, p.29
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NATIONAL INTERESTS
https://www.bruegel.org/
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The politics of the
Green Deal,
Politico, 2020.
Available here
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LIMITED SPATIAL
COVERAGE OF THE
JUST MECHANISM
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CONCLUSION
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WHAT DO YOU THINK ?
• Too much incremental vs not enough «deep and structural » change.
• Sectoral gaps (industry, agriculture)
• Energy and climate policy not joined up leading to clear inefficiencies.
• Lack of ownership by several Member States and division, as policy is
driven by Brussels.
• Clear need to strengthen EU policy instruments (and propose new ones?)
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MAIN TAKE AWAY POINTS
• A foreign policy issue, green diplomacy
• Driving innovation (inwards / outwards) with the European
Green Deal
• Yet ambiguous, contradictions and resistances
IMPLEMENTATION MATTERS !!!
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THANKS !
CHARLOTTE.HALPERN@SCIENCESPO.FR
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