Climate Change: Adapting to Evolving Internal and External Dynamics

Abstract

This chapter zooms in on the different mechanisms through which the EU pursues climate policy effects beyond its own borders. The EU has quite consistently been a major and reasonably influential player in international climate diplomacy and the UN climate negotiations (“dialogues and negotiations”). Influence in international climate diplomacy has benefitted from the EU providing incentives (“manipulating utility calculations”) and “capacity building” to developing countries. It thereby altered the incentive structure of the recipients and enabled them to pursue more ambitious climate policy objectives. While EU external climate policy remains closely tied to domestic EU climate policy, further challenges are looming, including Brexit and the US climate policy U-turn under President Trump.